The Infection
by Nightwolv
Summary: An Infection has come to New York how will the New Avengers deal with it and Alex Mercer? Rated T for Violence
1. A Business Proposal

**H.A.M.M.E.R Headquarters New York, Tuesday afternoon**

Director Osborn sat in his office contemplating the recent events. Being elected leader of the ThunderBolts had been a good start but then to be made head of S.H.E.I.L.D one of the leading Government agencies (that he had later disbanded to reform as H.A.M.M.E.R) was almost too good to be true. Not only that with the arrival of the superhuman registration act branding his nemesis Spider-man an enemy of the state made things all the sweeter. He smiled to himself. Yes things are going very well indeed. A buzz from his intercom startled him out of his thoughts

_"Yes?"_ he mumbled bringing his mouth to microphone.

_"There's a Mr Taggart here to see you sir"_ replied his secretary.

"Taggart?" he thought to himself "I don't know of anyone by that name." _"Does he have an appointment Ms Hand?"_ he replied curiously.

_"No sir, but he says he has a business proposal for you."_

Osborn contemplated this for a minute. "No-one would be suicidal enough to make an attempt on my life here, not with my Avengers in the same building" he thought as contemplated his next course of action._ "Send him up Ms Hand."_

_"Right away sir."_ A few minutes later a man stepped out of the elevator at the far end of his office. He was medium height looked to be in his early forties, bald and carried an intimidating aura.

_"Director Osborn I'm very pleased to finally meet you. My name is Colonel Ian Taggart, I'm here on behalf of my employer who wishes to remain anonymous."_

Osborn looked at the man standing before him, he could tell that this was not a man to play games with.

_"Please sit down Colonel. My secretary informed me you have some business you wish to discuss?"_ Taggart seated himself In the chair on the opposite side of Osborn's desk.

_"Mind if I smoke?_" he asked bluntly.

_"Not at all"_ Osborn replied. Although he kept a very close eye on Taggart's hand as it slid inside his coat, looking for the tell-tale bulge of a pistol. The Colonel pulled out a new pack of cigarettes and proceeded to unwrap them.

_"This business"_ he began taking a pause to look Osborn squarely in the eyes._"For the time being anything we discuss is to Remain strictly between us. No publicity, do we understand each other?"_

_"Completely"_ Osborn answered as he tried to get a read on the man sitting in front of him.

_"Good then let's begin"_ he said through his teeth as he lit his cigarette. _"My associates specialize in biological warfare, we design and create weapons that can cause great and lasting effect to the enemies of the US government."_

_"Your associates?"_ Osborn asked raising an eyebrow.

_"As I said Director my employer would prefer that he and his affiliates remain anonymous"_ replied Taggart.

_"Quite, please proceed"_ Osborn returned a little annoyed at all the secrecy. "Who does this man think he is? Waltzing into my office with this business proposal and won't even tell me who his employer is, although it has attained my curiosity" he thought as he watched the cigarette smoke dance around the colonel's face.

_"As I said, we specialize in Biological warfare and we believe we have made a breakthrough with a project that has been going on for the past 47 years."_

Now Osborn was really curious. A project with that kind of length had to have some serious funding behind it and be worth exploring.

_"We were developing a weapon that could be used on a population to make them turn against one another. Imagine being at war and instead of having to send in ground troupes or tanks you could simply make the population destroy itself, leaving you to simply walk in and take everything with no resistance."_

_"What are we talking about here some form of mind control?"_ Osborn ventured.

_"No, the weapon itself is a virus, a virus that enters the brain and modifies certain chemicals in the Neurons unfortunately we have only been able to weaponize it recently the first few tests were.."_ Taggart stopped speaking for a moment to take a long drag of his cigarette. _"unpleasant"_ he finished, his eyes darkening slightly.

_"What makes you think this is of any interest to me?"_ Osborn pressed trying to keep the man off guard.

_"Well as the Director of H.A.M.M.E.R the leading agency in government military and security we felt it was only fair to let you see what we have manufactured before looking at more...lets say, more unsavoury options"_ Taggart said enunciating the last part of his sentence.

_"Well I will say this Colonel I am intrigued by your offer and would like to see this weapon, but I make no promises on purchasing it"_ Osborn said firmly.

Taggart smiled and blew out a puff of smoke. _"Good, shall we set a date? my associates will be bringing the weapon to New York this Thursday. How does that sound?"_

_"That will be fine Colonel but what about security? I could send you some of my Avengers too help with the movement of the cargo?"_

_"Any assistance you are willing to provide is kindly welcomed"_ Targgart replied slightly hesitantly. Something about Osborn un-nerved him and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

_"Where will the cargo be arriving?"_ Osborn questioned.

_"The Bradley Michael dock, pier 9, at about 10pm."_

_"I will send some of my Avengers to escort you then."_

_"Then I believe that concludes this meeting. I thank you for your time and hospitality Mr Osborn. I hope to be seeing you again very soon"_ Taggart finished as he walked over to the elevator.

As soon as Osborn was sure he'd left he turned to the left side of his office.

_"Well?"_ he questioned.

One of the wooden panels lifted to reveal a hidden passage a tall man with blue eyes and long black hair stepped out.

_"As far as I could tell he was telling the truth and i'm an excellent judge of character"_ Daken smiled.

_"Good"_ replied Osborn _"I would hate to.."_

A thumping sound coming from the window behind Osborn cut him off and caused both him and Daken to snap their heads in its direction. Daken moved with cat like agility to the window and looked out his eyes scanning the building. Nothing. The mutant looked up as a few birds flew off the ledge above.

_"I can't see anything. A bird must have dislodged a bit of old mortar"_ the mutant said turning back to his boss.

Osborn however was unconvinced. In his line of work it never hurt to be sure.

_"Thank you Wolverine you may leave."_

Daken retreated into the room he had come from while Osborn sat down to review the security footage of the last 15 minutes. He looked at the footage from hidden camera B, which happened to be the one outside window of his office but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

_"Hmmm perhaps it was just the birds"_ he muttered.


	2. What Are You Doing Parker?

**15 Minutes earlier somewhere in New York, Tuesday afternoon**

_"Gimme your purse!"_ a tall burly man with tattoos running up most of his body demanded as the terrified woman backed up the alley. _"Didn't you hear me b***h? I said give me your purse!"_ he spat taking a flick knife out of his jacket pocket.

Just as the blade sprang from the handle a webline came out of nowhere hoisting the man up onto a ledge that stuck out of the side of a building he hung there dazed unable to quite understand what had just happened the woman below was frozen with shock.

_"You know"_ began a cheerful voice _"if you want to ask a woman on a date its best not to use a knife! believe me I've seen Wolverine fail because of that!"_

The man looked up straight into a pair of large white lenses. "Spider-man!" he blurted out.

_"Spider-man? Where? Where? I hear that guy's a menace"_ Peter replied again in the same cheery tone whilst webbing the man up. _"Give my regards to the boys in blue"_ he chuckled as the man tried to free himself from the webcocoon. He took a quick glance into the alley way to check the woman wasn't hurt but she was already running towards the main street. "Well thats one senseless mugging stopped" Peter Parker the Amazing Spider-man thought to himself as he swung away.

"Ok Petey boy, you've got no money surprise, surprise, your arch-enemy is currently the leader of the top government agency in the US and you have no girlfriend or any foreseeable relationships. Yep! I can just tell this is gonna be a good year" he thought grimly. "Speak of the devil" he said to himself as he swung past Stark tower or H.A.M.M.E.R headquarters as it was called now. He landed on a building overlooking the skyscraper.

_"I still don't know why they let that maniac take over S.H.E.I.L.D's work, I mean come on! that's like letting whiley coyote guard the roadrunner"_ he muttered to himself grimly Just as he was about to swing away a black SUV pulled up into the grounds of H.A.M.M.E.R's HQ.

"hmmmm its unmarked" he thought noticing the blank license plate. A man dressed in a military uniform stepped out as it stopped. _"What do we have here?"_ Peter murmured as the man walked into the building. "Looks like Osborn has a new playmate" he though curiously as he lept towards the building. "Here's hoping Osborn didn't know I lived in Stark Tower a few months back and hasn't changed to much of the security system."

Landing on the side of the building he scaled it quickly, looking for the window into Osborn's office taking care to listen carefully to his spider-sense in-case he may be about to stumble upon a new security camera or something worse.

"What are you doing Parker?" he asked himself "You know that inside this building is not just Normy but also his crew of merry nutjobs. If someone like Sentry were to get hold of you, you'd end up like that taco you dropped earlier."

After peering in the bottom of six windows he finally found Osborn's office. Fortunately Osborn was sitting with his back to the window but his desk obscured most of his view of the man Spider-man had see enter just now. He could tell it was him as every now and then he would see his arm move down to his side and he could tell without a doubt it was a military uniform. Spider-man strained to hear against the glass. which of course was bullet proof so it was exceedingly thick.

_"...unsavoury options"_ the man finished his sentence.

Peter pushed himself even closer to the glass but could still only make out parts of the conversation.

_"...intrigued by your offer...weapon...no promises...purchasing it."_

_"good...my associates...weapon New York...Thursday"_

"So" he thought. "Osborn is buying weapons?"

_"...fine Colonel"_ he heard Osborn reply.

"Well at least I know something about this guy" Spider-man thought to himself still trying to get a better look at the man.

_"...security some of my Avengers...Bradly Michael dock...10 pm."_

He watched as the man got up and walked into the elevator. _"Osborn looks too happy for my liking."_ Peter muttered to himself just as Daken suddenly entered the office taking Spider-man by surprise. Unfortunately as he hastily attempted to hide himself his foot knocked part of a broken brick from is place.

***thump***

"Damn it if Osborn didn't hear that then Daken sure as hell did!" he thought "Beat it Parker beat it!" he mentally shouted at himself as he swung quickly round the corner of the building so he would be out of sight if someone came to the window.

After he was out of sight he quickly swung away from the tower. _"That was very risky Pete! You're lucky he hadn't changed the security system and that window was too thick for Daken to smell you through. If not you really would have looked like that taco"_ He murmured grimly.

"So? what now? Ok so Osborn is buying weapons what are you gonna do about it Parker? If Osborn wants whatever the hell it is, it can't be good but what are you gonna do alone? trying to steal the weapon in Osborn's backyard is suicide especially alone. Looks like i'm gonna have to get back in touch with the New Avengers. Hopefully they won't be too angry about me not contacting them. I don't feel like having adimantium claws shoved down my throat" he thought smiling to himself. _"You never know it might be fun to see Wolverine again"_ He chuckled.


	3. Plan Of Attack

**Secret Location, HQ of the New Avengers, Tuesday night**

Logan sat on his own in the kitchen of the current Avengers hide out drinking a beer. He'd almost finished it when a tall blond woman with blue eyes walked in.

_"What's the matter Carol can't sleep?"_ he asked with a raised eyebrow.

_"You're one to talk"_ she replied giving the mutant a cold glare.

_"Whoa! What's bitten you Danvers?"_ Wolverine asked surprised at her cold demeanor_ "is it Parker?"_

Carol quickly turned to glare at Logan again.

_"Hit a nerve?"_ he pressed.

_"Yeah its Parker but not like you're thinking! The guy joins the New Avengers then never shows up. He's a deserter, you know what we used to do with deserters in the army?"_

_"Wow"_ Logan grunted before taking another gulp of beer._ "He's really got under your skin about this!"_

_"Damn right he has!"_ Ms Marvel replied sourly.

_"Listen, Parker may be the most annoying person I have ever had the misfortune to work with but he has a very big sense of responsibility and I gotta admit I respect the guy for that. If he's not here it means he has a damn good reason for it" _the mutant replied looking the blond heroine in the eyes.

_"Awwwwww fur-ball I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said about me!"_

Both Logan and Carol's heads snapped round to the direction of the voice and there perched on the window-sill was the person they had been talking about. Although he had his mask on they could both tell he was smirking.

_"Well, well, well look who finally decided to show up"_ Logan growled getting up from his seat in surprise. _"We need to remember to keep those windows shut to stop bugs getting in"_ he finished a small smile on his lips.

Carol remained still, fixing Spider-man with the coldest stare she could muster.

_"Is there something on my face?"_ Peter asked pretending to wipe something away but she transfixed still staring at him. _"Look M&M"_ he began nervously_ "I know I haven't been in contact with the team recently..."_

_"Parker"_ she finally spoke interrupting him in the process. _"You're off the team."_ With that she walked out of the kitchen.

_"Ok, what was that about?"_

_"Shes just pissed at ya because you're supposed to be part of the team an yet you're never here"_ Logan explained as he took another gulp of his beer.

Peter jumped down from the window ledge and began scratching the back of his neck. _"Well yeah but I've had a lot on my plate recently. It's not like your arch-enemy Cat-man is now running all of our country's law enforcements."_

_"Listen bub we've all got it tough! Not only are we being hunted by HAMMER but we've got villains dressing up and pretending to be us and his name is Sabretooth not Cat-man"_ Wolverine replied a slight note of annoyance in his voice.

_"Think she's gonna forgive me?"_ Peter said looking at the kitchen door.

_"What you've gotta remember Pete is that she was in the military a lot of her life, so she's into team-players. In her eyes you're a deserter."_

_"Ouch! That's harsh"_ Spider-man replied wincing.

_"Don't worry she'll get over it. Eventually!"_ Logan assured him following Peters gaze to the door. They both stood silently for a minute.

_"Sooooooo"_ Peter piped up. _"You respect me huh?" _he finished smiling.

_"Shut up kid"_ Logan snarled but there was no real malice in his voice. _"Did you have any other reason to be here other than to annoy me out of my skull?"_ Wolverine finished, giving him a glare.

_"Yes as a matter of fact I do. I need your help. I think Osborn is planning something and there's no way I'm going to be able to solo this"_ the Spider-man replied in serious tone.

A dark smile lit up Wolverines face _"Good"_ he began. _"I've been waiting to have another crack at Norman and his pets for a while."_

* * *

><p><strong>Later Tuesday night<strong>

_"Thats all I heard"_ Peter concluded after telling the other Avengers (Ronin, Mockingbird, Luke Cage, Spider-woman and Iron fist) what he'd heard of Osborn's conversation.

_"What do you know about this guy he met with?"_ Ronin asked as he processed the information.

_"Apart from the fact he's a Colonel and looks scary as hell nothing"_ Spider-man replied.

_"Well that's something we need to look into"_ Mockingbird stated. _"We don't know anything about this guy or what kind of resources he has at his disposal."_

The other Avengers nodded in agreement.

_"Did he mention coming back to see Osborn before Thursday?"_ Ms Marvel asked, still using her coldest sternest voice possible.

_"No. He set the date and then left"_ Spider-man replied happy that she was now on speaking terms with him again. Even if her voice was cold enough to freeze hell.

_"What about security?"_ Iron fist asked from his seat at the other end of the table.

_"Osborn did mention sending some of his Avengers. He didn't say who though"_ Peter replied remembering what Norman had said near the end of his conversation with the Colonel.

_"Well I'm guessing if Osborn isn't going I doubt Sentry will be there. The guy is too unstable to be left alone. Even a manic like Norman knows that"_ Spider-woman said slightly relieved.

_"That sounds plausible and if he isn't there that will make it a lot easier on us"_ Carol agree.

_"What time did you say the weapon was arriving?"_ Wolverine asked looking to Spider-man.

_"About 10pm."_

_"That should give me enough time to sharpen my claws!"_


	4. Who Are You?

**Secret Location, Laboratory, Thursday night**

The morgue was badly lit and the naked light-bulb flickers as two men in white hazmat suits start to examine the body laid on the metal stretcher in front of them.

_"Poor f***er. Thats what happens when you don't wear gloves while handling that shit!"_

_"Phil be quiet and lets just do our job we are supposed to be performing an autopsy"_ The other retorted.

_"Who was he?"_ Phil persisted.

_"Some scientist who worked on the project. Look man I don't ask questions ok? To be quite honest I'm not sure I want to know about some of the stuff that goes on here. Let's just do what we were paid to do and get this over with"_ the finished.

_"Alright"_ the other man sighed. _"I still can't believe you're not even a little curious!"_ he continued picking up a scalpel and edging it towards the man's chest._ "I can't believe they didn't bother to at least take his shirt off"_ he muttered.

"Just another thing to cut through eh?" his friend mumbled.

Just as his scalpel reached the body's chest it moved. Its hand shot up grabbing the scalpel an throwing it from Phil's hand.

_"Holy f**k!"_ he screamed as the supposed corpse sat up.

_"RUN F***ING RUN!"_ The other man screamed. They quickly ran out of the door of the morgue shut it and continued running.

_"My god! He was dead!"_ Phil panted _"I checked his pulse, heart rate, everything before putting him on that stretcher he was f***ing DEAD!"_

_"Well he looks pretty lively now!"_ The other one snapped. _"Call security get them down here NOW!"_

Inside the room the man sat on the stretcher his hand on his forehead.

_"Where am I?"_ he groaned looking around. _"What is this place?"_ Then he realized something far more important. _"Who am I?"_ he whispered getting to his feet.

* * *

><p><strong>Bradly Micheal Dock,Pier 9, New York, Thursday 10pm<strong>

_"I wish these military guys would hurry the hell up unloading that shit! I'm hungry!"_

_"Gargan! shut up"_ Moonstone replied coldly.

_"I'm telling you, you haven't lived until you've eaten someone alive, mhmm crunchy!"_ Venom cackled his abnormally long tongue flicking out of his mouth.

_"I cannot wait until you outlive your usefulness Gargan! I'm going to enjoy peeling that alien sludge off you strip by strip along with your skin"_ Moonstone snarled.

_"Would you two lovebirds give it a rest!"_ Bullseye chimed in _"You guys are gonna put me off my aim!"_

_"Wouldn't be the first time"_ Daken muttered.

_"What did u say claws?"_ retorted Bullseye.

_"I'm saying for a guy who apparently never misses you seem to do a f***ing lot of it!"_ Daken snapped back.

_"At least I don't keep getting beaten up by my old man"_ Bullseye replied condescendingly. Daken jumped to his feet claws extended. Bullseye also slipped into a comabt stance throwing knives already drawn.

_"Man you guys are like a bunch of children!"_ came a low gruff voice.

The Dark Avengers turned to see a man who looked to be in his late thirties walking towards them. He had short dark hair and was wearing a dark military uniform with a logo on the top left shoulder. A star with a capital W beneath it.

_"This is what Osborn sent? A bunch of kids in adults bodies? You're useless to me"_ the man stated eyeing his escorts distastefully.

_"And who the f**k are you?"_ Bullseye said eying the officer up and down.

_"Captain Cross but you can call me The Specialist."_

_"Specialist huh?"_ Moonstone interjected. _"Seems a bit of a stupid name."_

_"This coming from someone who once called themselves Moonstone?"_ Cross said raising an eyebrow.

_"How do you know who I am?"_ Moonstone demanded slightly taken aback. As far as she knew only Osborn and the other Avengers knew she wasn't the real Ms Marvel.

_"I have files on all of you"_ Cross calmly stated, not seeming at all perturbed by the fact this woman could probably snap him like a twig if she wanted. He turned to face Daken who was giving him a strange look. _"What's wrong with you boy?"_ he asked annoyed by the mutants lingering gaze.

_"You smell like death"_ Daken said wrinkling his nose.

Cross chuckled slightly at that as if it was some private joke. _"Well it was...interesting talking with you but I have things to attend to. so by all accounts go back to bitching and killing each other!"_ he said before turning and walking back towards the soldiers, who were busily loading a van with large canisters.

_"Wait!"_ Moonstone shouted after him.

_"What?"_ Cross sighed stopping and turning to look over his shoulder.

_"Who are you people?"_ she asked, looking at the soldiers loading the van, all with the same logo on their shoulder. Like Cross they were also dressed in black but unlike him they all wore gas masks.

_"We're Blackwatch!"_ Cross stated before continuing to walk towards the van.


	5. Assault

**Bradly Micheal Dock, Pier 9, New York, Thursday 10pm**

_"Which pier are they coming into?"_ Ronin thought to himself. The Avengers had all split up to search the entire dock yard. Clint looked up at the next pier he came too. Pier 9 was written across a large metal panel that was propped up by a wooden post. "Lets try this one" he thought to himself as he began walking between the containers towards the pier.

Ronin was just about to reach an opening when a hand grabbed him and pulled him into one of the containers. He reacted instinctively spinning and putting his attacker into a wristlock his free hand unsheathing a knife from his belt. He quickly pressed the shimmering blade against his attackers neck.

_"Calm down bub"_ came a low familiar voice.

_"Jesus Logan!"_ he said before taking the knife away from his neck. _"I coulda killed you, you stupid..."_

Logan put his hand over his mouth and motioned for him to be quiet. Clint nodded to show he'd understood and Logan removed his hand from his mouth motioning with his head toward the pier. Ronin peered round the corner and saw Bullseye, Venom, Daken and Moonstone talking to a man dressed in black. Looking beyond them he saw similarly dressed soldiers loading canisters onto a van.

_"We should be ok here"_ Logan whispered _"I had to grab you because you were almost downwind and Daken would have smelt you instantly"_ he said looking at his son. _"That boy has my nose"_ he finished coldly.

_"Who the hell are those guys?"_ Ronin whispered referring to the soldiers.

_"Dunno"_ Logan replied. _"Never seen that symbol on their uniforms before, makes me think they are government types. Possibly spooks."_

_"Weren't you a spook once?"_ came a familiar voice. Ronin jumped at the sound of the other voice Logan however didn't even flinch.

_"Kid if you're gonna sneak up on someone don't eat pepperoni pizza before trying it!" _he mumbled not taking his eyes off the Dark Avengers.

_"What can I say, I'm a food junkie"_ Spiderman said before crawling out of the shadows.

_"How'd you find them?"_ Logan whispered.

_"Spidersense!"_ Peter said pointing to his head? _"My head hurt a lot more in this general direction. Thus I guess this is where they might have been shacking up. So whats the plan?"_

_"We're outnumbered at the moment"_ Clint replied solemnly. _"We can't take them with only the three of us."_

_"So we hit them on the road?"_ Peter suggested.

_"Sounds better"_ Clint agreed.

_"Shit!"_

They both turned to look at Logan who was staring at Daken.

_"What?"_ they both asked at the same time.

_"He's smelt someone!"_ Wolverine replied the muscles in his legs tightening into a slight crouch.

_"Is it us?"_ Peter replied quickly moving back slightly.

_"No, I told you we aren't downwind here."_

As if to confirm this Moonstone fired a large photon blast at some containers to the far left of their position, they watched as Mockingbird and Spider-woman quickly jumped from the wreckage and prepared to engage the Dark Avengers.

_"Well guess the road plan is out of the question"_ Spiderman sighed.

_"I'm glad"_ Wolverine said claws snapping out of his knuckles. _"I've been waiting for a chance at these guys for too long"_ he finished as he ran to flank the Dark Avengers.

_"That dude scares me sometimes!"_ Spider-man said turning to Ronin. Clint chuckled and ran after Wolverine. _"I got dibs on venom!"_ Peter shouted swinging towards the Dark Avengers. _"Because of him everyone thinks I eat squirrels! SQUIRRELS!"_

* * *

><p><em>"What was that?"<em> Cage asked his head spinning in the direction of the noise.

_"Sounds like they found them"_ Iron fist replied, as they both started running towards the sounds of the battle. They turned a corner just as Venom flew into the container to the left of them.

_"WHY MAC? WHY SQUIRRELS?"_ Spiderman shouted as he landed on Gargan and launched a barrage of punches, taking a brief respite to look up at Cage and Danny. _"Guys I got my hands full here. The weapon is in the van and.."_ he was cut off by one of Venoms tendrils wrapping round his neck.

_"You sure you got this?"_ Danny said kicking Venom and sending him flying into another container.

_"Yeah you guys get the weapon!"_ Peter replied as he launched himself at Venom again.

The pair ran towards the van but were instantly intercepted by soldiers. Danny ducked as the barrel of an M16 veered towards his head before he kicking the man in the leg feeling the bone break under his heel as he did. He turned to look to quickly check how his friend was doing.

Cage currently had one man in a headlock and another pinned to the floor with his foot. Satisfied Luke didn't need any help Iron fist turned back to his opponents. Countering a punch from one soldier spinning on his heal grabbing and disarming the man behind him. Crouching he delivered a blow with his elbow to the first man's lower abdomen, winding him, while delivering an uppercut to the second man with his free hand.

Iron Fist turned back just in time to see Cage finish dispatching the four men who were attacking him.

_"C'mon!"_ Cage shouted _"get to the van!"_

They both ran towards the vehicle but before they could reach it the man who had been talking with the Dark Avengers stepped in front of them. They both stopped abruptly and they both looked at him warily. The soldier's hand reached down and pulled out his side arm a Colt M1911.

Iron fist crouched preparing himself to dodge in case the need arose, Cage also prepared himself for the incoming shots but to both their surprise the man looked down to the gun in his hand and dropped it.

_"That won't do much good here"_ he stated in a matter of fact kind of tone before instantly slipping into a martial arts stance.

_"I got this guy"_ Cage said turning to Iron fist. _"You get to the van."_

The man chuckled at Cages statement. _"Then come get me!"_ he replied smirking.

Cage launched himself at the assailant to his surprise the man dodged his attack easily and even more surprising with inhuman speed and strength he delivered a punch to his gut. Even through his near indestructible skin Luke felt the punch. The blow even lifted him off his feet sending him flying into Logan who had just pinned Daken.

Iron fist stopped dead realizing that Cage couldn't handle this man alone. He looked at the man again.

"Clearly there's more to him than meets the eye" he thought.

The Specialist flexed his hands before launching himself at Danny with the same inhuman speed he'd witnessed earlier. Iron Fist barely had the time to prepare a block before Cross slammed his fist into his arms sending him flying backwards. Using the momentum Danny performed a back-flip before landing on his feet.

"I can't match this guy on strength" he thought "I'm gonna have to out maneuver him."

He blinked and suddenly Cross was in front of him. "Holy shit" he's faster than I thought" he mentally scolded himself for underestimating his opponent and braced himself for the strike, nothing.

Looking up he found Cage was there blocking Cross's blow. Cross gave them a small dry smile and using Cage kicked himself into the air and back flipped putting some distance between him and them. The Specialist looked at both Cage and Iron fist as they prepared to face him. Cross smiled to himself. "Maybe this will be a challenge after all" he thought.

* * *

><p>Clint ducked as two throwing stars flew passed his head. He'd been sparring with Bullseye for the past few minutes and had yet to find an opening big enough to deliver a KO, then he saw it. As the assassin reached for another throwing weapon he left his left flank exposed but only very briefly due to Bullseyes uncanny reflexes. Ronin smiled to himself as he countered a punch from Bulleye's right arm while delivering a round house kick too his left arm.<p>

As he thought this slowed down his left arm as it reached for another weapon. Clint quickly punched him in the left flank and felt one of Bullseyes ribs break. The assassin groaned and Ronin quickly delivered another punch to make sure he stayed down. Looking up he saw Cage and Iron fist fighting the soldier they'd seen earlier. To his shock the soldier seemed to be outclassing both Cage and Danny in every domain speed, strength and skill.

_"Shit!"_ he cursed as he ran to go help his team-mates but saw the van begin to pull away. "Sorry Cage, Danny I gotta get a sample of the weapon" he thought mentally apologizing to them. He took an explosive arrow from his quiver and shot it at the back of the van. It hit the doors square on, blowing one of them open and leaving the canisters exposed. "Crap, how am I gonna snag that from here!"

Clint turned just in time to see Spiderman kick Venom into Moonstone.

_"Spider!"_ Peter's

head snapped up to the direction of the voice.

_"Snag the canister!"_ Ronin shouted pointing at the moving vehicle.

Peter looked in the direction of the van and fired a web line catching the exposed canister and yanking it towards himself. Just as he was about to catch it Venom launched himself at Peter pinning him to the ground just as the van drove off.

"Damn it" Ronin thought looking in the direction of the disappearing van. "We won't be able to catch that now not with our evil twins and the men in black here."

_"Got it!"_ called out MockingBird as she caught the canister before it hit the ground. Clint smiled to himself. "That's my girl!"

"Avengers pull back" Mockingbird shouted breaking away from the fight.

Carol shot a blast of energy into Moonstone at point blank range sending her flying into the ground causing a crater where she landed. Ms Marel turned and looked around seeing how the others were doing at least that's what she told herself, really she was looking to see if one particular person was ok. Then she saw him. Venom currently had him pinned to the ground. Without hesitating Carol quickly fired a blast into Venoms back earning a scream from the creature. Spider-man to the opportunity to deliver an uppercut to Venoms jaw ejecting him into the air.

_"Thanks Colonel"_ he shouted at her whilst giving a mock salute. Carol rolled her eyes at him as they both retreated back to join the other Avengers.

Daken got to his feet and began to chase them but a hand grabbed on his his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. The mutant turned to see the man called Cross watching them leave.

_"What the hell are you doing?"_ Daken barked in annoyance.

_"Don't bother"_ Cross replied calmly watching the retreating Avengers. _"They only got one canister it's not worth chasing them for. Get your men together and we'll head back to H.A.M.M.E.R."_


	6. Knock, Knock

**In the Van, heading too H.A.M.M.E.R HQ**

_"Who the f**k were they?"_ the soldier to the left of the driver demanded.

_"Don't know"_ the driver replied through gritted teeth. _"We were lucky that Osborn guy sent those freaks to help out."_

_"I dunno Cross seemed to be handling two them by himself without much difficulty"_ the first man said.

_"Yeah but he's a freak like them."_

_"Better not let him hear you say that or you'll be in the Blacklight project before you can say jellied eels!"_

The driver let out a defeated sigh.

_"You guys alright in there?"_ the first man shouted while bashing on the sheet of metal that separated the driving compartment from the storage part on the back. He was referring to the five other soldiers siting with the canisters.

_"Yeah, but we lost one of the canisters" _came the reply.

_"WHAT?"_

_"One of those freaks must have hit the door with an explosive because it blew open temporarily. We shut it as quickly as possible but one of them managed to snag a canister with some kind of rope."_

_"Damn it you know Taggart isn't going to be pleased about this right?"_

_"No shit!"_

The two men in the drivers half of the van went silent concentrating on the road ahead.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile in the back of the van<strong>

_"I thought project Blacklight was some sort of biological weapon not some sort of superhuman formula"_ one of the men said.

_"it is"_ replied one of the others.

_"Did you not see what Cross just did? Whatever the f**k Blacklight is, it seems more like a performance enhancer to me. Did you see how that guy went flying when he hit him?" _the first man countered.

_"Cross isn't a result of operation Blacklight"_ the man who replied earlier stated. _"Hes from another project that got drafted into Blacklight a few years back. They were doing some grim shit back then god only knows what they did to make Cross like that"_ he finished.

_"Hey guys"_ one of the men who had remained silent suddenly piped up. _"wanna hear a joke?"_

A few of them gave him and each other strange looks.

_"Go ahead"_ said the man who had spoke first visibly confused by his associates behavior.

_"Knock, knock"_

_"Who's the..."_ began the man to his right but before he could finish his sentence the soldier produced a silenced pistol from his sleeve and shot the man in the head.

_"HOLY SHIT"_ one of the others gasped in shock as he and the others quickly drew their own fire arms but the soldier was too quick for them. He turned pushed off from the wall ramming his back into the man opposite him. Turning on his side he quickly shot the other two with clean shots to the head. The soldier stood up looking at his handy work.

_"Ha I did that joke on the Skrulls back in the secret invasion arc. It had basically the same effect"_ the man chuckled. "Now some punk ass fanfiction writer has me saying it again? Probably too lazy to come up with his own jokes."

The holographic projection that had been up around the soldier dissipated to reveal a man in a red and black costume. Deadpool began examining the containers untill suddenly he suddenly froze.

_"Wait a sec! Didn't he say there were five men in the back of the van? One of them was me and I know I killed three that means.."_

He was suddenly cut off by a knife being forced into his neck.

_"Ah crap"_ Wilson gurgled through a mouthful of blood._ "There goes my singing career"_ he coughed before collapsing.

_"F***er!"_ the soldier cursed looking at the bodies of his dead comrades. He walked hunched over (Deadpool ramming into him had shattered some of his ribs) towards the opposite side of the van to tell the driver and his partner what had just occurred. He was about to knock on the metal wall when suddenly he felt a blow to his lower back sending him crashing into the side of the van. He turned to find Deadpool back on his feet and watched in horror as the mecenary pulled the knife out of his neck ripping part of his trachea in the process.

Deadpool unsheathed one of his katana's and quickly and silently sliced off the soldiers head. "I hope my vocal cords grow back quickly!" he thought to himself as he was still unable to talk. "being this silent just isn't right! Wait a sec Fox bought the rights to this fanfic didn't they?"

_"Hey"_ came a voice from the front of the van._"You guys ok back there?"_

_"Yeah everything's dandy"_ Deadpool just about managed to gurgle back.

_"I heard a crash. You didn't knock over one the canisters did you?"_

_"No its ok some people just didn't get my joke"_ Wade replied easier now his vocal cords had reattached.

_"What?"_

_"Never mind everything's fine"_ Deadpool replied as he wiped the blood off his katana.

_"So here's the deal my employer also wants this virus thingy so they hired me to steal a sample of it. Most likely to use it in some super evil end of the world plot"_ he said as if there was an invisible presence in the room listening to him. " How am I gonna get out of here?" he muttered looking round the van._ "Queue plot hole that allows me to escape!"_ the mercenary said throwing both arms in the air. he stood there for about a minute in silence as if waiting for something to happen.

_"Fine!"_ he said finally in irritated tone. _"I'll do it myself."_ He then turned his attention to his belt. _"Well, well looks like a I have a fully functioning teleportation device thank you writer! I take back what I said about the jokes"_ he muttered as he grabbed one of the containers and teleported out of the van.


	7. Another Player

**A little later H.A.M.M.E.R HQ**

Osborn stood in the car park just outside the door of H.A.M.M.E.R's main laboratory.

_"It's been almost an hour what's taking them?"_ he muttered to himself. Taggart had assured him things would go off without a hitch and he didn't like it when things didn't go according to plan.

Just then a large grey van pulled into the car park startling Osborn from his thoughts. The van stopped a few meters in front of him and two soldiers dressed in black and wearing gas masks got out.

_"Mr. Osborn?"_ one of the men asked.

_"Yes?"_

_"We have the cargo."_

_"Good, if you could unload it from the vehicle my men will take it from there."_

_"Yes sir"_ they replied.

Just as the men were about to open the doors of the van three black SUV's pulled up. Out of one stepped Osborn's Avengers looking slightly battered up causing him to eye them menacingly. Out of another some more soldiers and out of the last came Taggart and another man he'd never met.

_"Mr Osborn"_ Taggart began _"it's good to see you again."_

Osborn nodded in response _"Why are your men late?"_ he demanded.

_"A minor setback arose"_ replied the man next to Taggart

_"And you are?"_

_"Cross"_ the captain replied simply.

_"Well Mr. Cross what kind of set back?"_

_"The Avengers"_ Daken snarled angrily before Cross could reply.

_"But they did not get the weapon?"_ Osborn said gesturing towards the van.

_"Not all of it sir"_ the driver of the van said.

_"Not all of it? What the hell does that mean?"_ Osborn asked irritatedly.

_"We believe they may have acquired one of the canisters sir"_ the driver finished.

_"Don't worry, they don't have enough of it to pose an imminent threat"_ Cross replied assuring him.

_"Unload the van"_ Taggart ordered gesturing towards his men.

As they opened the door something rolled out, it did several turns before arriving at Osborn's feet. Everyone looked at the head in shock.

_"JESUS"_ came the voice of one of the men looking into the van. _"It's a blood bath in here sir."_

Osborn stared at the head at his feet. _"IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL SECURE MR TAGGART!"_ he shouted turning angrily to the Colonel. _"NOT ONLY DID THE AVENGERS KNOW WHEN AND WHERE YOU WOULD BE ARRIVING THEY ALSO MANAGED TO INFILITRATE YOUR VAN AND KILL FOUR OF YOUR MEN!"_

_"It wasn't one of those freaks"_ Cross said examining the inside of the van. _"I was watching them the whole time none of them came close to the van."_

_"That's true!"_ Bullseye suddenly piped up. _"We were fighting all of them the whole time."_

_"Then it seems we have another player"_ Taggart said putting his hand to his chin.

Suddenly Daken pushed the soldiers aside and jumped into the vehicle a angry look on his face.

_"What is it Wolverine?"_ Osborn asked watching as Daken sniffed the air.

_"I know that scent"_ he growled. They watched as Daken walked up and down the van finally he bent down and picked up a knife covered in blood and smelt it. _"Deadpool!"_ he snarled.

_"What?"_ Moonstone and Bullseye said in unison.

_"It was Deadpool. I'd know that diseased smell anywhere"_ Daken hissed throwing the knife against the van's flank in frustration.

_"Deadpool?"_ Targgart questioned turning to Osborn.

_"A mercenary who has proven very hard to kill"_ Osborn sighed. _"Although I had been assured the matter had been taken care of!"_ he continued shifting his eyes to Bullseye who moved uncomfortably under his glare.

_"It's complicated"_ the assassin replied meekly.

_"Complicated? All you had to do was kill that maniac!"_ Moonstone snapped.

_"Well I don't remember you killing him that time he stole those MODOK's"_ Bullseye countered.

Karla bit back another remark. it was true the mercenary had not only stolen the MODOK's from right under H.A.M.M.E.R's nose, he'd also managed to lead her on a wild goose chase away from the facility.

_"It seems he too only got one of the containers"_ Cross stated after examining the canisters. _"Like I said one isn't enough to pose an imminent threat and they can't create more without our scientists formula."_

Osborn looked somewhat calmed by this. _"Come inside let's talk money"_ Osborn said looking at Taggart.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later they arrived in the main room where Osborn gave his briefings to the team. The Dark Avengers sat around the large table, Osborn at the head with Taggart opposite him Cross stood at the door surveying the scene. He examined these so called Dark Avengers one thing Cross knew was that he didn't trust them. They seemed too volatile for his liking, too unpredictable. Although he had to admit they weren't lacking in skill. Although the other Avengers seemed to have more experience than them and knew how to fight better as a team, these Dark Avengers had the ferocity and killer instinct the other ones seemed to lack.<p>

As he looked at them he noticed Moonstone's eyes focused on him. He smiled to himself and winked at her. The blond villain raised an eyebrow and gave him a suggestive glance. Before anything could continue Taggart began his presentation of project Blacklight. He showed Osborn slides and video simulations of the viruses effect.

_"Of course we wouldn't expect you to buy the weapon now before having seen what it can do. So I'll give you four days to decide on whether.."_ he was cut off by the intercom buzzing.

_"Excuse me"_ Osborn said as he pressed the microphones button. _"What?"_ he asked rather sharply.

_"Sorry mister Osborn but there is a call on line one for Mr Taggart."_

_"Would you mind if I took the call?"_ Taggart asked looking slightly confused that someone would contact him here.

_"Be my guest"_ Osborn replied._ "Ms. Hand please put Mr Taggarts call through"_ he said into the microphone as he switched on the loud speaker.

_"Colonel Taggart sir?"_ came a voice.

_"Yes?"_

_"Sir, Zeus escaped from our New York facility"_ said the voice shaking slightly.

_"WHAT?"_ Taggart shouted turning pale. Even Cross standing by the door lost his calmcollected demeanor and walked over to the intercom

_"Mercer is still alive?"_ the Specialist asked darkly.

_"Yes captain"_ the voice replied recognizing his voice.

"Whoever this Mercer is he has these two very riled up" Osborn thought as he looked at Taggart and Cross.

"_I'm sorry Mr Osborn"_ Taggart said. _"That will have to conclude tonight's business"_ he continued as he disconnected the call. _"I have something very important to attend to, as I said I'll leave the Blacklight virus with you for a few days while you examine it. Mr Cross will remain with you to make sure you don't...try anything"_ the Colonel finished fixing Osborn with a grim stare. _"I hope that will not be a problem?"_

_"Of course not Mr. Cross is more than welcome here"_ Osborn replied, eyeing the Captain. The Specialist on the other hand seemed less than happy with the arrangement he grabbed Taggart's arm as he went to leave whispering in his ear.

_"With all due respect sir we don't know what Mercer is capable of the version of the Blacklight virus he was infected with was derived from the same one they used on me would it not be better that I be present in case he turns up looking for revenge?"_

_"Listen"_ Taggart whispered back. _"I need you here none of my other agents have your...abilities and if Osborn tries to pull something I want you to snap his neck."_

_"What about Mercer?"_ Cross pressed.

_"I'll take care of Mercer just keep an eye on things here"_ with that Taggart walked out the door. Cross followed him with a sour glare before turning back to look at his new "team-mates" he wasn't happy with this arrangement. The man they all referred to as Gargan smiled menacingly at him

_"Welcome to the team pretty boy"_ he jeered.

Moonstone looked at the captain. When she'd met him her first impression was that he was an uptight military ponce but she had to admit she was impressed when he almost effortlessly held his own against two of the Avengers. Karla caught his eye and returned his wink from earlier.

_"hmm maybe this won't be a total waste of time"_ Cross thought smiling to himself.


	8. I Can't Believe What I Just Did

**Secret Location, Blackwatch/GENTEK laboratory, New York a few minutes earlier**

_"Who am I?"_ the man thought pulling himself off the metal stretcher. He looked in the direction of the voices he'd heard earlier, seeing that the men who were there before had now ran out of the morgue.

As he looked round he caught a glimpse of himself in a reflective piece of metal on the wall. A complete stranger stared back at him. He was tall, had medium cut dark hair with light skin but what struck him most was his eyes. His irises where a dark shade of yellow with dark veins running through them.

_"What am I?"_ he murmured moving closer to his reflection. As he did this he noticed a small paper tag tied to his arm. Pulling it off he held it up to the light 'Alex Mercer' it read.

_"Alex Mercer? That's my name?"_ he muttered.

A loud whipping sound startled him out of his thoughts. He quickly through open the double doors completely oblivious to the fact the chains the scientist had secured the door with snapped like twigs under the pressure and ran out of the morgue into the court yard outside. Looking up he saw a large dark shape descending. As it got lower he saw it was a military helicopter. Looking towards where the helicopter was about to land he saw the two men in hazmat suits who had been in the morgue earlier waving their arms. Alex was about to walk up to them when something in the back of his mind stopped him. Instead he crouched behind a pair of dustbins not far from the door.

"What are you doing?" he said to himself "they could have killed you in the morgue had they wanted too there's no point in hiding." He was about to show himself when six men wearing gas masks, dressed in black and carrying automatic weapons stepped out of the helicopter. Alex watched as the men in hazmat suits began talking to the soldiers until suddenly one of the soldiers cocked his rifle and shot both the men. "Jesus. What kind of shit am I in here?" Alex thought looking at the motionless bodies of the scientists. He peered round the dustbins straining to hear what the soldiers were saying.

_"...witnesses have been taken care of, we are about to proceed with apprehending Zeus"_ the soldier finished before turning and motioning to his men to follow him towards the morgue.

"Shit" Alex cursed inwardly. "I can't stay here they'll see me. I'm gonna have to surprise them and make a break for it." He sat crouched waiting for them to get closer. When they were about a foot away he reacted. Picking up and throwing both dustbins into the men. The force threw the soldiers off their feet. Slight dazed the men began getting to their feet turning their guns toward Alex who jumped over them. It was then he realized it was a dead end. A wall at least 12 foot high had been built to prevent connection to an alleyway and the rest of the courtyard was surrounded on all sides by buildings.

_ "F**k!"_ he cursed realizing he had nowhere to run. Alex began to panic, the wall was too high he knew that but he jumped at it anyway in desperation.

***Thump* **

He landed on the other side. Alex froze and then turned back to look at the wall. "I did it?" he said to himself "I cleared a 12 foot jump like it was nothing." He looked down at his hands "What have they done to me?"

He heard the engine of the helicopter firing up and began running. Alex quickly scaled a steel grate that blocked his path to the street and began running down the road. Taking a glace over his shoulder and saw the helicopter come into view. "I'm completely exposed here" he thought nervously. He pushed past people he met on the pavement sending some of them off their feet.

As he was about to reach the end of the street Alex heard a whistling noise. Turning hewas just in time to see a missile launch from beneath the helicopter's left wing. It hit the ground just behind him sending him and a car to his left flying. He spun in the air, everything was going so slowly. It felt like he was up there for years when suddenly his feet hit the pavement. He looked up just in time to see the car come crashing towards him. Instinctively he closed his eyes, dug his feet into the ground and brought his hands up to protect himself and then...nothing. No pain, no feeling of enormous weight crushing him. Alex tentatively opened his eyes. The car was hovering off the ground. His hands supporting its whole weight. Not only that, he could see where his hands where making dents and ripping the steel chassis.

The helicopter stayed in its position hovering the pilot obviously as shocked as Alex by what had just happened. Alex shifted his weight using his right foot to take the whole weight of the vehicle and pushing with his left arm he threw the car at the helicopter. He heard the pilot's scream as the car hit the helicopter head on, both exploded in a ball of flame that came crashing down to the street.

Alex didn't stop to see what happened next and began to run. He ran for at least 10 minutes before finally stopping in an alleyway and slumped down against a wall.

_"I can't believe what I just did!"_ he murmured. Not only could he not believe that he had thrown a car but it was also the fact that he didn't even feel it. He may as well have been tossing a tennis ball. Suddenly a sharp searing pain began in his stomach. Alex crunched himself up although it didn't seem help, then everything went black.


	9. Get Some Sleep

**Secret Location, New Avengers hide out, Friday 2am**

_"Incredible!"_ Peter breathed as he slouched in his chair. He had been studying the sample they had collected since they arrived back from the dock and had set up a makeshift lab for the occasion even though it was only it was still high tech with containment units, powerful microscopes etc..

After having studied the virus for three hours he'd managed to find out three things

1. it was incredibly contagious

2. Although it was very contagious after becoming airborne it nullified very quickly

3. He'd never seen anything like it in his life.

Peter sat there staring at his current slide. "What do you do?" he said to himself staring at the piece of glass in his hand. This was what disturbed him the most, as he'd never seen a virus with a genetic make-up like this thus he was unable to determine what exactly the virus did.

_"Find anything interesting?"_ came a woman's voice from behind him. Spider-man turned to see Jessica Drew enter the room.

_"Nothing that helps me find out exactly what it does"_ he replied disappointedly.

_"I'm sure you'll figure it out"_ she replied putting her hand supportively on her friends shoulder.

_"Thanks for the vote of confidence Jess"_ he replied smiling at her.

_"You should really take a break. You've been at it solidly since we got back and after the smack down Venom laid on you, you must be knackered"_ she said looking at him accusingly. _"You won't be able to work out what this thing is if you don't get some sleep."_

_"My logical side would agree with you but my inner scientist is screaming at me to keep looking. Have you ever tried sleeping with an annoyed scientist screeching at you?"_ Spider-man quipped spinning the slide in his hand.

_"No Peter, I haven't"_ Jessica replied in a defeated tone. She'd known Spider-man a while and knew that once he was fixed on something there was no stopping him. _"If you won't stop for tonight will you at least take a coffee break?"_ she asked fixing him with a stern glare.

_"Do I have a choice in the matter?"_ Peter questioned.

_"No, you don't!"_

_"Then coffee sounds great Jess."_

A few minutes later she reappeared with two steaming mugs of coffee.

_"Put that slide down science boy"_ she ordered handing him the a cup.

_"Yes sir"_ Spider-man replied mimicking a soldier's voice while placing the slide carefully on the table._ "Sooooooo how have things been with the Avengers since I stopped ermm...showing up?"_

_"Not alot out of the ordinary to be honest"_ Jessica admitted. _"Stopping bad guys saving people same old. We've missed you here by the way"_ Spiderwoman said eyeing Spider-man. The webslinger looked down guiltily as her eyes burnt into him.

_"Look I..."_ he began not really sure what to say.

_"Peter there's no need to apologize. I've known you a while so I know whatever reason you had for not being here it must have been important"_ Spdierwoman said before Spider-man could finish his sentence.

_"Thanks Jess."_

_"Not all of us saw it that way though"_ she continued.

_"Yeah I noticed Carol's ice queen act when she saw me."_

_"She just took it the worst Pete. She's the leader so this team is her responsibility _ Jessica continued _"Cage was also torn up about your disappearance. He considers you a brother, even Logan although he won't admit it missed you and your annoying sense of humor."_

_"Think Carol will get over it anytime soon?"_

_"As I said Peter she took it the worst"_ Jessica replied repeating her earlier statement.

_ "Why? it's not like I'm close to her like Tony was"_ Peter asked confused.

_"Two reasons! One you know Carol she was an army pilot most of her life a real team player not to mention as I said just now this team is basically her responsibility."_

_"Yeah, yeah Jess"_ Peter interrupted _"Logan already told me that."_

_"and reason two!"_ Jessica forcefully interrupted. _"You're a guy so its painfully unobvious to you. She likes you Pete."_

Spider-man stared at her and blinked twice. _"Crazy lady says what?"_ he spouted out.

_"What?"_ Jessica asked visibly confused.

_"Just as I thought you are crazy. Look Jess, Carol and me are just friends and even that's a stretch at the moment."_

Spiderwoman stared at him for a moment. _"God your even more stupid than I thought, you should mention this to her and see if I'm wrong!"_ she said taking another sip of coffee.

_"You're giving me relationship advice? Really?"_ Spider-man replied chuckling and earning a glare from the raven haired woman. _"How about we just drop the whole subject?" _

* * *

><p><strong>Secret Location, New Avengers hide out, Friday 6am<strong>

The sound of her alarm clock startled her awake.

_"Damn is it 6 already?"_ she said to herself pushing some blond hair out of her eyes. _"That fight with Moonstone must have taken more out of me than I thought"_ she muttered.

Carol liked getting up early, due to her military career it had almost become second nature. She walked over to her wardrobe taking a quick look in the mirror as she did the same blue eyed women as everyday stared back at her. Reaching into the wardrobe she proceeded to pull out a black tank top and blue denim jeans. They both clung to her nicely and she took another quick look in the mirror before going to have breakfast.

Carol walked into the kitchen stretching her arms as she did. as usual she was the first person around. Logan always drank himself to stupor so never seemed to appear before 11. Danny would be doing his meditation by now and the others wouldn't generally be seen until the 8-9 mark.

_"Crap!"_

The voice startled her.

_"Looks like i'm not the only morning person for once"_ she muttered to herself heading in direction of the voice. She opened the door to the makeshift lad and there sat in a chair in front of four microscopes and an uncountable number of glass slides was a very tired and irritable looking Spider-man.

_"Peter?"_ she ventured.

_"Whoa!"_ Peter gasped jumping at the sound of her voice. _"Morning Marvel you almost made me jump out of my skin. Did you forget your training? Always establish audio visual contact before engaging"_ he groaned.

_"What time did you get to sleep last night?"_ she demanded looking him up and down.

_"Sleep?"_ Peter blinked looking at her. _"Haven't been to sleep yet barbie"_ he replied.

_"You've been up all night?"_ Carol asked staring at him. _"Well that certainly explains your appearance. Oh and call me barbie one more time and I swear you'll never spin a web again"_ she glared.

_"It was worth staying up I've cracked what this thing is!"_ he stated proudly. _"Get the other's up I'm gonna show you what I've found I'm sure you'll find it interesting!"_

_"I'm sure we will Pete but in your state I'm pretty sure you couldn't even tell me how many fingers I'm holding up, let alone explain to us whatever this super virus does"_ Carol insisted.

_"I'm fine"_ Peter retorted getting up and then without warning he passed out, falling straight back onto the chair. Carol rolled her eyes. "Your stubbornness will be the death of you Parker." She then proceeded to pick him up and walked into the living room and laid him out on the couch.

_"Get some rest Pete then tell us what we are dealing with."_


	10. They'll Pay!

**H.A.M.M.E.R HQ, New York, Friday 10am**

Cross lay on the bed in the suite Osborn had given him. He didn't like it, he could tell simply by looking round that the whole place was bugged. Since he arrived he noticed 10 microphones and 7 hidden cameras. As annoyed as he was with this arrangement something else troubled him more.

"How are you still alive Mercer?" he thought to himself through clenched teeth.

He remembered the first time he'd met Dr. Alex Mercer he was the most unorthodox scientist he'd ever seen. He had a short temper and a very dangerous personality as soon as Cross saw him he knew he was a definitely capable of killing. He remembered the day the order came from above that Mercer had become expendable. Taggart had assigned Cross to take care of Mercer, but somehow that son of a bitch knew he was coming and he'd already left the lab with a sample of his own version of Blacklight that was later dubbed Zeus. Taggart went berserk when he heard that Mercer had escaped with virus.

Mercer! That insane bastard walked into a crowded subway station and unleashed project Zeus in the presence of hundreds of people. "I guess he thought that if he was gonna die he may as well spite us" Cross thought turning over in the bed.

At that concentration the virus should have ripped him apart. They still had a cleanup crew at the station as the strain that Mercer had created was a lot more virulent and a lot harder to kill than the previous versions. "Urg enough! Forget about Mercer! he'll be taken care of soon. You've got a job to do get up and do some reconnaissance around H.A.M.M.E.R."

Cross got out of bed and to his feet then pulled on some jeans and a white t-shirt, he then walked out the door and down the corridor. The Captain stopped at a large steel door. It was abnormally big and reinforced unlike the others. He was just about to reach for knob when a women's voice startled him.

_"I wouldn't go in there if I were you!"_

Cross turned to see Moonstone leaning against her rooms door frame. She had obviously just taken shower as she was wearing a white bathrobe and water dripped down her face. Cross's eyes lingered on her a bit longer than he would care to admit before turning back to the door again.

_"That leads to H.A.M.M.E.R's main labs Osborn is pretty protective of it"_ Karla finished smirking slightly, his stare had evidently not gone unnoticed.

_"Is there any chance you could get me in?"_ he said while subconsciously scolding himself for his moment of weakness.

_"I think that can be arranged"_ she said sliding up to him and pressing her lips to his.

"Well this is one Dark Avenger that won't need much deceiving" he thought as Moonstone pulled him into her bedroom.

* * *

><p><strong>Dark Alley somewhere in New York, Friday 10am<strong>

The soldier approached the figure slumped against the wall. Carefully he lifted the hood covering the man's face using the muzzle of his rifle. To his shock the man's eyes were wide open. He stepped back quickly cocking his rifle in the process. He aimed it at the man's head. Nothing, the man didn't move. The soldier re-approached the inanimate figure, his eyes where frozen as if he was dead but he was definitely alive. The Blackwatch soldier could see rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.

_"He must be in some kind of coma"_ the soldier muttered. He quickly glanced at the photo he'd been given of Alex Mercer. "Its him!" The soldier smiled to himself "I'll probably get promoted for bringing him in alone."

He looked at the picture again then trained his rifle at the man's head and let out two silenced shots. The body against the wall slumped into a lifeless position and the soldier turned away smiling to himself as he picked up his radio.

_"Target has been.."_ the Blackwatch agent was cut off by a crushing pain in his chest. He looked down too see a bloody fist sticking out of his ribcage. The man crumpled to the floor. The last thing he saw was a pair of yellow eyes glaring at him and the two bullet holes in Mercer's head closing up.

Alex stared at his hand, blood dripped from it onto the cracked pavement below. The pain in his chest was still present but seemed to have calmed. "Jesus" he thought in shock at what he'd done, bending down observing the wound he'd inflicted. Too his horror black and red tendrils began sprouting from his skin snaking their way down and latching onto the body of the dead soldier they penetrated the corpses skin and began pulling the body towards him. It melted into his skin much in the same way as two droplets of rainwater merge when placed near each other.

Alex dropped to his knees as images began to flash in front of his eyes. He heard voices, voices of people he didn't know.

_"The target is Alex Mercer, we do not know what he is capable of so he is to be considered a priority 1 threat, shoot to kill!"_ the voice barked. _"Are we clear soldier?"_

The man who was speaking suddenly flashed into view. He was dressed in a military uniform. With all the medals that hung from his jacked Alex guessed he must be a reasonably high ranking officer.

_"Yes Colonel Taggart"_ a voice replied. To Alex's surprised he recognized it, it was the same voice of the man he'd just killed.

"What's going on?" he thought. "Am I reading this guy's mind? No!" he quickly dismissed that. "He's dead. I can't tell what he's thinking, memories perhaps?"

The images and noises began to fade until he was back in the alley again, nothing but a pool of blood remained of the soldiers body. Alex stood up the pain in his chest was gone. Not only that he felt good no not just good incredible.

_"SOLDIER!"_

The voice snapped Alex out of his daze. He turned to see a man dressed similarly to the soldier he just killed only the jacket under his Kevlar was grey and not black.

_"Report soldier!"_ the man in grey continued staring at him.

"What the hell?" Alex thought to himself then he looked down at his hands and too his shock he realized he was dressed just like the soldier he'd killed.

_"Report soldier!"_ the man said again rather more irritably this time.

Alex looked up at him again and he saw the man was carrying a heavily modified automatic weapon complete with grenade launcher. The soldier in grey stopped in-front of him and jabbed the barrel of the weapon into Alex's chest.

_"What's your problem soldier? Respond when a superior officer asks you a question"_ he barked looking Alex in the eyes for a moment the soldier could have swore he saw a flash of yellow through the visor of the gas-mask.

Then without warning the Alex's uniform began to change it retreated into the his skin only to be replaced by his black leather jacket, jeans and grey hoodie.

_"Holy shit!"_ the soldier gasped stumbling back and lifting his rifle at the same time. Instinct took over, Alex grabbed the gun throwing it from the man's grasp and quickly punched him in the chest. He felt the bones break under his fist as the man crumpled to the floor. Alex bent over looking at the lifeless body. "I wonder if?" he thought edging himself closer to the corpse.

Just as he thought the tendrils sprung from his skin pulling the body towards him. Again images began flashing in his mind, he saw the man's life as he trained to become part of Blackwatch every women he'd ever kissed everything he'd ever done embedded into his own mind.

_"We'll need an insurance policy"_ a voice began, he recognized it, it was the man he'd heard the last soldier refer to as Taggart.

_"What do you mean?"_ this voice was from an unknown.

_"If Mercer survived there's a high chance he'll come after us and after the exposure to project Zeus I doubt he'll be sane."_

_"You think he'll be like Cross?"_ the other voice questioned.

_"That's the worst case scenario, hopefully the virus will kill him but as I said we need a bargaining chip in-case Mercer has become something like Captain Cross. Sargent Matthews!"_ Taggart said thoughtfully.

Suddenly Alex could see him, he was looking straight at him. Although he still couldn't make out the man he'd been speaking with earlier. The memory obviously wasn't very good.

_"I want you to apprehend Dr Mercers sister Dana Mercer she currently resides here"_ Taggart continued handing him a map. _"After you have her continue searching for project Zeus."_

Then he was back in the alley again. "If the soldiers came searching for me that means they have Dana! my sister?" He strained to think but as hard as he tried he couldn't remember what she looked like or anything about her.

_"They did this to me!"_ Alex growled through gritted teeth_ "And they'll pay!"_

He closed his eyes and visualized the map Taggart had handed the Sargent and saw the a circle of red ink round a block of flats.

_"I doubt she'll be alone and this Taggart guy didn't mention anything about moving her once they'd found her. Looks like they are going to be in for a surprise"_ he muttered smiling to himself as his cloths and skin morphed from his normal attire into Sargent Matthews uniform.


	11. Containment Breach

**Taggart's office, Undisclosed Location, New York 10:30am**

Taggart sat at his desk mulling over the recent events. He'd sent the search and destroy order on Alex Mercer yesterday and thus far had received no news of results. In fact he'd received the exact opposite. A call came earlier informing him that Sargent Matthews and another Blackwatch officer had been reported MIA (MIA:Missing in action) this was disturbing. He knew Sargent Matthews better than most of the other Blackwatch officers and he was incredibly efficient. It was unlike him or let alone any other Blackwatch soldier to just suddenly cease contact. He began to worry.

"What if Mercer has become like Cross. He could cause a great deal of damage" Taggart thought as he put his hand to his forehead and realized he was sweating. Mercer wasn't the only person on his mind. He was also thinking about the man who had hijacked the van. This Deadpool whoever he was Osborn had referred to him as a mercenary if he was a mercenary then who hired him? The sound of the phone ringing snapped him from his thoughts.

_"Yes?"_ He answered curtly as he put the phone to his ear.

_"Sir Sargent Matthews has just returned and we are about to commence moving the girl"_ replied the voice of the soldier.

_"Put Matthews on the line I have some questions for him"_ Taggart demanded. He heard the shuffling on the other end of the line as the soldier handed over the phone.

_"Mr Taggart Sir"_ came the familiar voice of the Sargent.

_"Sargent Matthews would you care to explain why we lost contact with you for over half an hour?"_

_"Sorry Sir, there was a technical problem with my transmitter"_ replied the soldier.

_"Did you hear anything from the other agent who was reported MIA?"_

_"No Sir. I only heard the man was missing when I arrived back at the girl's apartment."_

_"Very good Sargent. I need you to transport the girl to H.A.M.M.E.R."_ Taggart said excepting the Sargent's explanation. It wasn't unusual for the transmissions to stop working especially as they were in the city among a lot of radio pollution from other devices.

_"H.A.M.M.E.R Sir?"_ Matthews questioned.

_"Yes H.A.M.M.E.R the director there is a client and has agreed to lend us his resources"_ Taggart finished.

_"Yes Sir, I'll begin arranging her transportation immediately."_

_"Sargent make sure she arrives safely, she's our last line of defense from Mercer."_

_"Yes Sir_" replied Matthews before Taggart hung up the phone. It was strange Taggart could have sworn that Matthews was smiling as he spoke those last two words. He shook his head and turned to look at the containment report on the subway station where Mercer had unleashed the virus. It was taking a lot of resources to keep it under wraps. They had top scientists in there right now trying to nullify the virus but as yet they had only been able to contain it. Also They currently had 60 people in quarantine that the scientist's believed had been contaminated. He knew they wouldn't be able to keep the disappearance of 60 people in the dark for long. They had to fix this and fix it fast. The phone rang again.

_"Colonel Taggart here."_

_"Colonel!"_ came a panicked voice.

_"Ye.."_ he began but was cut off by the voice.

_"There's been a containment breach Sir. The quarantined patients have become violent it's like they've suddenly just gone insane. We've dispatched cleanup crews to take care of them but the air tight lock we had round the area is broken we are trying our best to plug it but with the patients rioting I don't think we'll be able to do it"_ The man finished.

The color drained from Taggart's face panic began to take over.

_"Hold them for as long as you can I'm dispatching more men now!"_

_"Yes Sir but please hu…"_ the other end of the line began to crackle and Taggart could hear sounds of gunfire and shouting.

_"Shit!"_ he cursed out loud. _"F***!"_

Taggart quickly picked up the phone and began to dial.

_"Hello?"_

_"This is Colonel Ian Taggart, I want every available man you have to go to 5th Avenue Penn Station on the Broadway line there has been a containment breach in the Red Zone lethal force is authorized"_ trying his best to keep the authority in his voice and the fear out of it.

_"Yes Sir"_ the soldier acknowledged.

Taggart slammed down the phone and began dialing again.

_"What is it Taggart?"_ came a low voice from the other end of the line.

_"General Randal Sir we have a problem"_ Taggart said mopping his brow as the thin stream of sweat began to turn into a torrent.

* * *

><p><strong>Secret Location, New Avengers Hide Out 10:30am<strong>

_"Wake up princess!"_ came a voice accompanied by a rough tap on the head.

Peter opened his eyes to find Wolverine standing over him. Staring down at him with an amused expression on his rough features.

_"Urg what happened?"_ Peter asked groaning as he sat up and rubbed the back of his neck.

_"Danvers said you passed out. What's the matter Parker can't hold your liquor?"_

_"For your information furball. I was up all night trying to work out mathematical problems and equations your tiny feral brain couldn't possibly comprehend"_ Peter replied pulling himself to a sitting position.

_"I prefer to leave the science to nerds anyhow"_ Wolverine replied smirking.

_"I told you not to overdo it Pete"_ Jessica commented as she walked into the room.

_"Maybe I'll listen to you when i'm not dealing with a potential end of the world type virus"_ Peter replied his tone immediately darkening. _"Where are the others?"_ he asked _"I need to speak with all of you."_

_"Everyone is in the kitchen waiting for you"_ Jessica informed him as she helped Spider-man to his feet.

_"Good"_ Peter replied stretching _"If this is a bad as it looks we can't waste any more time."_

The three Avengers walked into the kitchen and Wolverine and Spiderwoman sat at the table whilst Peter set up a white board.

_"Do we really need that?"_ Clint said gesturing towards the white board with his head.

_"Yeah Peter. We may not be scientists but I think we'll be able to understand the basics without little diagrams"_ Mockingbird agreed in an indignant tone.

_"It's more for my benefit than yours. __It helps me see things clearer and anyway I know some people whose minds cannot understand certain things without little pictures"_ he quipped. A few of the Avengers turned to look at Wolverine as he said this.

_"What the hell are you girls looking at?"_ Logan snapped in annoyance at getting singled out.

_"Anyway"_ Peter continued._ "From what I've gathered the weapon is a retro-virus that attacks and hijacks certain cells in the human body and replaces them with copies of itself"_ he said as he drew a diagram of how the virus infected cells.

_"What cells does the virus effect?"_ MockingBird asked observing the explanation intensely.

_"To begin with it attacks the brain cells taking over the chemical receptors in the brain and replacing it with its own chemical messages. Which by what I can gather seem to cause violent tendencies. After it has completely taken over the mind it begins to attack any other cells degrading them and eventually destroying the host. Its quiet ingenious really. As soon as the virus has control of the mind it ceases to be contagious and then kills host body to prevent the spread."_ Spider-man explained as he put the pen cap ontop of the blue pen he'd been using.

_"So lemme get this straight"_ Logan began. _"This doohickey enters your head and gives you rabies and then after a certain amount of time it kills you?"_

Peter sighed and looked at the mutant. _"That's very simplified but yes, that is the general gist of it."_

_"Can you create a vaccine or a cure for it?"_ Cage asked.

_"No. It would be virtually impossible. Nothing I've ever seen would present enough resistance to it to be considered as potential base for a cure"_ Peter replied a slight note of worry in his voice.

_"What about me?"_ Logan asked pointing to himself. _"My healing factor has protected me from pretty much everything."_

_"In this case it would be almost useless because your healing factor heals destroyed or damaged cells. So yes it would prevent you from dying but it would not stop the virus entering your mind and turning you into a raging lunatic. Well more than you already are"_ Spider-man explained._ "Luckily whoever designed it wasn't completely insane. Had they wanted to it would have been possible to have created a strain that didn't lose its contagion and instead of just killing its host it could have had mutagenic properties."_

_"So it's impossible to fashion a cure?"_ Iron fist asked gravely.

_"Well theoretically it is possible but as I said I haven't seen anything that has the properties I need"_ Peter answered.

_"What kind of properties are we talking about?"_ Carol pressed convinced there must be an answer they wern't seeing.

_"Well I'd need something that would make every cell in the body replace itself simultaneously whether they are damaged or not and I can't think of anything that has that kind of regenerative properties"_ Peter sighed.

_"I think I do." _Everyone turned to look at Wolverine as he spoke. _"But you guys aren't gonna like it!"_


	12. Distraction

**Secret Location, New York 10:30am**

_"I LIVEEEEEEEE! For a moment I thought I'd been written out of the story!"_

_"Mr Wilson would please be quiet. You're lucky we even hired you after the MODOK incident"_ Madame Viper growled.

_"Oh yeah! Ms Marvel #41 that was an awesome guest appearance. I think I may have even stolen Danver's thunder"_ Deadpool replied cheerfully.

_"As I was saying"_ Viper continued clearly irritated by being interrupted. _"You're lucky HYDRA asked for your services again."_

_"To be fair I didn't lose those things. I was out fighting a hot Ms. Marvel look alike who was soooo into me by the way! Your bunch of beekeepers were supposed to be guarding those things"_ Deadpool finished, gesturing towards some Hydra agents standing in the doorway. _"What was in that container anyway?"_

_"Mr Wilson we do not pay you to ask questions but if you must know the sample you recovered seems to be a viral pathogen and…."_

_"Spare me your medical mumbo jumbo"_ Deadpool interrupted waving his hand.

_"It's a virus"_ Viper simply stated. Deadpool looked at her for a minute.

_"Could you dumb it down a bit?"_

Viper put her fingers to her temples and began to rub them she was severely tempted to have this red buffoon killed.

_"I still don't know why my superiors wanted to hired you again. I told you to be in and out silently. Instead you kill 4 people! I don't call that silent do you Mr Wilson?"_

_"Well you know me lady I get caught up in the moment and then bang! Bang!"_ the mercenary replied eyeing Viper and making pretend guns out of his fingers. _"Anyway, look lady I'm a merc every minute is costing me precious money that could be spent on Mexican food."_

**"You know that there is no one else looking too hire us?"** his inner monologue piped up.

"Hey you are here! I thought that as this wasn't a comic strip my little yellow box friend wouldn't be here!"

**"Well I am and as I said no one wants to hire us at the moment."**

"Yeah but she doesn't know that."

_"….and that's what we need you to do. Of course if you succeed the payment will be very satisfactory"_ Viper finished, snapping Deadpool out of his inner conversation. She looked at the blank look the mercenary was giving her._ "You weren't listening to a word I was saying where you?"_ she asked sourly.

_"Ermmm something about want to make mad passionate love to me?" _Deadpool replied winking at her.

_"Ok Mr Wilson please pay attention we are prepared to pay you 700 000$ to…"_ began again her eye twitch ever so slightly.

_"You had me at 700 000"_ Deadpool interrupted holding up his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Van Heading Too H.A.M.M.E.R HQ about 11am<strong>

Alex sat in the back of the van there where six people in total including himself four Blackwatch soldiers and Dana. He looked at his sister and tried with every fiber of his being to remember anything about her. Anything at all but still nothing about her was familiar. She was average height, medium brown spiky hair and one hell of an attitude. When the guards had tried to load her into the van she had put up quite fight one of the soldiers even had a nasty gash down the right side of his neck.

_"What the hell are you looking at you m*****f*****?"_ Dana said looking directly at him. It was then he realized he'd been staring at her. _"What's your f***ing problem never seen a woman before?"_

Alex smiled to himself she had guts he'd give her that. Even in the back of a van with five strangers carrying automatic weapons she still had a sharp tongue.

_"Sargent would you like us to educate her?"_ one of the other soldiers asked pulling out a knife.

_"No. I'll deal with her later"_ Alex said looking at the other soldiers and giving the most evil smile he could muster. A few of the guards snickered. "Shit"Alex thought to himself. "It's too cramped in here if I try anything they'll have shot her before I could kill them all. I'll have to wait until we arrive at this H.A.M.M.E.R place. I just hope there won't be a lot of resistance."

15 minutes later the van pulled up outside a large skyscraper surrounded by what looked like warehouses.

_"All right we're here Sir"_ came the voice of the driver. Alex got up and opened the van doors.

_"Bring the girl"_ he said turning to the others as they got out of the van. They began walking towards the steps of the skyscraper with Dana struggling and cursing all the way. They walked into the reception room where they were met by 2 men.

_"Welcome Sargent my name is Captain Cross. I've heard a lot of good things about you from Colonel Taggart"_ said one of them holding out his hand. Alex reached out and shook it. _"And this is our host, director Osborn."_

Alex turned his gaze to the other man who seemed a lot less friendly than Cross. He decided it best not to try and strike up any kind of pleasantries with him so he simply nodded.

_"And this must be Dana Mercer"_ Cross smilied approaching the girl. _"You know I knew your brother very well he was a callus son of a b****. He's probably worm food by now thought."_

As soon as Alex heard that he looked a little closer at the man but he couldn't recognize anything about him.

_"F*** you!"_ Dana spat as Cross patted her on the head. Cross laughed at this.

_"You're definitely his sister alright. You've got the same repertoire."_

_"I'll take that as a compliment you f***ing piece of shit" _Dana replied angrily.

_"I have a cell you can keep her in on floor 6"_ Osborn suddenly spoke. It seemed he'd had enough of the girl and her profanity.

_"That should give her some time to cool down and rethink her position"_ Cross smirked as the other soldiers took her away. He turned to Alex. _"Taggart told me you're to be stationed here with me and a few other agents."_

_"Well I'll let you 2 get acquainted, I have business that needs attending too good day Captain, Sargent"_ Osborn said nodding his head at each before he turned and headed towards an elevator behind him.

_"Come with me"_ Cross said looking at Alex. _"Sit down. Look I know Taggart says we are to stay here with these freaks."_

_"Freaks?"_ Alex looked at him quizzically.

_"Ah Taggart didn't tell you? Osborn has his own zoo of freaks each weirder than the other."_

_"I'm not sure I follow Captain"_ Alex pressed trying to get a straight answer.

_"Osborn has a group of people he calls 'The Avengers'"_ Cross replied scoffing while making quotation marks with his fingers as he said it. _"Each one of them has some kind of special power."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yes, one of them has claws that come out of his hands another can hit with uncanny accuracy and another one has some kind of living suit"_ Cross finished.

_"I believe you forgot someone"_ came a woman's voice.

Alex turned in the direction of the voice. A tall attractive blond woman was walking down the stairs next to the elevator. She walked over to where Cross was sitting and wrapped her arms around his neck.

_"Sargent this is Dr Karla Sofen or Ms. Marvel as she's known in the Avengers"_ he said a small smile grazing his lips. Karla looked at Alex and nodded to acknowledge him but most of her attention seemed to be on Cross. _"Would you excuse me please Sargent I have something to attend to"_ Cross said as Ms Marvel began walking back up the stairs dragging him with her.

"I guess it's not as awful for him as he was trying to make out" Alex thought as he watched Cross and Karla head up the stairs. Alex spent the next hour looking round H.A.M.M.E.R.

"The security here is very tight I'm going to need a distraction" he thought his eyes darting around the rooms.


	13. Hold Them Back

**5th Avenue 59th Street Station, Manhattan The Red Zone, 3pm**

_"HOLD THEM BACK! DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE THE QUARENTINE ZONE!"_ one of the soldiers shouted panic rising in his throat. He watched in horror as the patients who had been quiet for the past 48 hours charged into his men and began ripping into them with nothing but their nails and teeth.

The reinforcements had arrived a few hours ago and more where due in soon but it all seemed to be in vain every time those things pulled one of his men kicking and screaming into the shadows they would appear moments later among the ranks of horde tearing into their former allies. A woman with blond hair launched herself at him, pinning him against the wall. Through his gas mask he could see the flesh between her teeth and the deathly grey color of her eyes. Quickly he hit her with the butt of his rifle. The woman's skull caved in; spilling gore onto the ground. Turning he emptied his magazine into the approaching mass of claws and teeth. The bullets ripped through their flesh a few of them losing limbs in the process but to his horror this hardly seemed to faze them, they kept coming.

_"FALL BACK TOO THE LABORATORY"_ he screamed as he turned to run. He and 6 other soldiers ran into the nearby lab and began barricading the door. After it was sufficiently blocked they stopped to catch their breath.

_"WHAT THE F*** ARE THOSE THINGS?"_ one of them panted.

_"I don't know but it must be something to do with Blacklight."_

_"DID YOU SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING? THEY WERE F***ING EATING PEOPLE!"_

_"Calm down if we lose our nerve we're dead."_

_"DID YOU NOT SEE HOW MANY OF THEM THERE WERE! WE'RE ALREADY F***ING DEAD!"_

_"I said calm the f*** down soldier! I'm going to phone Taggart and get him to send in the big guns"_ the man finished pulling a phone from his pocket.

_"Mr Taggart? Sargent Philips here. We can't hold the quarantine zone for much longer we need some heavy support here now!"_

_"GOD DAMMIT!"_ he heard Taggart curse down the phone line.

_"Sargent hold them off as long as possible I'm going to send Cross and his agents in now."_

_"Yes sir!"_ replied Philips said as he hung up.

_"WELL?"_ one of the soldiers asked looking at the Sargent worriedly.

_"He's sending in the Specialist and his men."_

_"Well what are we supposed to do in the meantime?"_

_"Taggart said to hold them off, the only way out of here is through the lab, so we hold our ground here and stop those things getting past the blockade"_ Philips finished.

_"What about the others?"_ one of the soldiers said gesturing to the blockaded door.

_"We can't open it for anyone in case one of those things gets through. The rest of our men are now expendable. We keep the door shut!" _Philips growled.

_"What's this?"_ called one of the men who was looking through some papers on one of the lab desks.

_"Soldier those are classified!"_ Philips snapped at the man.

_"Jeez I think we're past that by now"_ the man muttered dropping the papers to floor. One of the sheets skidded to Philips feet, who bent down to pick it up.

_"Project Hunter"_ he murmured to himself as he read the title. _"No matter what happens we can't let those things get out start barricading the other door"_ Phillips finished. Dropping the document he began pushing a desk in front of the other door.

* * *

><p><strong>H.A.M.M.E.R HQ, New York 3:30pm<strong>

_"Jesus Christ"_ Cross gasped down the phone line. _"I thought you said it was contained?" _his voice taking on a slightly sharp note.

_"I THOUGHT IT WAS CAPTAIN! AND I WOULD ADVISE YOU NOT TO BE SHORT WITH ME!"_ Taggart bellowed. Cross bit back a reply he knew better than to cross Taggart especially when he was in this kind of temper. _"I want you, your men and any of those freaks Osborn can spare down at that subway NOW!"_ Taggart said before hanging up.

Cross slumped back in his bed. _"Mercer what have you done?"_ he muttered through gritted teeth.

_"Bad news?"_ Moonstone asked rolling onto him from the opposite side of the bed.

_"Yes"_ he confirmed darkly. _"I have to go. Call together the rest of your people I have to speak with them and Osborn."_ With that he pushed Karla aside got up, dressed as fast as he could and went to search for his men.

* * *

><p><em>"And that's the situation"<em> Cross finished, looking at the Dark Avengers and his Blackwatch unit.

_"There's still one thing you've neglected to tell us captain"_ Osborn began observing him from his desk chair. _"And that's how this happened in the first place."_

_"I'm afraid that's classified Director"_ Cross replied returning his gaze.

_"Why should I help you with this anyway?"_ Osborn asked. _"This has nothing to do with me and therefore is not my problem."_

_"Mr Osborn"_ Cross began, fixing him with a stern glare. _"If this virus gets out of the containment Zone people will start to ask how a highly dangerous and contagious pathogen, managed to just leak into the City without the Director of its City's defenses knowing. Believe me it will become your problem"_ Cross finished.

Osborn contemplated his word for a minute. "If the virus really is that dangerous I can't risk my position now" he thought.

_"Very well, myself and my Avengers will assist you"_ he said getting to his feet.

_"You?"_ Cross questioned looking him up and down. _"I don't mean to contest your authority Osborn but you'd be more of a hindrance than a help. I can't take civilians in to an active zone"_ he finished.

_"Oh I can assure you Captain that will not be so"_ Osborn replied smiling before getting to his feet. _"Dr Sofen"_ he began turning to Moonstone. _"You are to remain here and wait for further instructions and oversee the security of the weapon."_

Karla nodded in response, clearly not happy about being left out of the mission. With that Osborn left the room.

_"Looks like he's going to suit up"_ Gargan smirked.

_"Suit up?"_ Cross questioned raising an eyebrow.

_"Oh you'll see soon enough pretty boy, you'll see"_ Gargan snickered. Cross turned his attention to his own men.

_"Some of you are to remain here and oversee our interest. Sargent Matthews, I'm leaving you in command of squad 3 The rest of you are to come with me"_ he commanded looking at Alex.

Alex smiled inwardly. "looks like I won't need to create a distraction after all."

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later<strong>

Cross looked at the large aircraft, the jet was sleek and black it was also one of the biggest he'd ever seen and equipped with some very high-tech weaponry.

"Wow" he thought to himself. "Osborn must be more well connected than I'd originally thought." The Captain watched as his men got into black SUV's, as there wasn't enough room in the jet they would have to get there via the roads.

_"Specialist if you're ready to depart please enter the aircraft"_ came an electronic voice. Cross turned and came face to face with a robot. It was about his height, its upper body had been painted red and the lower part was blue, but what caught his attention most was the glowing star in his chest.

_"Cute"_ he commented looking at the android. _"I didn't know Osborn had robots."_

_"Please Mr Cross I would never stoop so low as to send robots out on an active mission. They are unpredictable and breakable."_

_"Osborn?"_ Cross asked narrowing his eyes slightly.

_"Yes Captain. Although when I'm in the suit I'm generally referred to as the Iron Patriot."_

_"Well I have to say Osborn I'm slightly impressed. I had you pegged as a pencil pusher. No offense."_

_"None taken Captain. That is the image I try to project when I'm not in the suit. Now if your quite ready we'll leave."_

Cross followed the Iron Patriot up the ramp onto the jet and took his seat.

_"ETA 20 minutes"_ Bullseye muttered from his position at the drivers seat.


	14. You're In My Way

**H.A.M.M.E.R HQ, New York a little after 3:30pm**

Alex stood in the lab observing Dr Sofen. He had no idea what she was capable of and he didn't like the idea of attempting a rescue without knowing who this woman was and what she could do.

"Crap I can't wait much longer. I don't know how long they'll be gone and this is the least defended this place is ever going to be" he thought urgently. He began to move behind Moonstone fists clenched. He was about to strike when a large explosion sent a shockwave through the building.

_"What the?"_ Moonstone cried in surprise, turning away from her experiment and picking up a hand radio. _"What's going on?"_ she demanded down the receiver.

_"We are under attack Ms. Marvel"_ a soldier replied.

_"By who?"_ she demanded moving towards the closest window.

_"HYDRA! Dr Sofen, my men are holding them off but there's a lot of them."_

_"I'm on my way!_" Moonstone replied putting the radio down. _"Sargent!"_ she began turning to Alex. _"Get your men and send them to the courtyard we'll kill these HYDRA b******s."_

She pulled off her lab coat to reveal a black and red skin tight costume with a yellow star in the center. Karla then produced a black eye mask and placed it on her face before flying out the window, smashing it in the process.

"Hmm" he thought to himself "well looks like I won't have to take care of her after all."

Moonstone looked down at the HYDRA agents beneath her. "At least we know who the other players are now" She thought grimly. Swooping down she grabbed two HYDRA soldiers and threw them into their comrades. Karla turned to see Blackwatch soldiers emerging from the building. Although she couldn't see the Sargent among them. "Maybe he's getting the more men" she thought as she turned to face the regrouping HYDRA agents. Moonstone was about to fire a photon blast into the grouped up HYDRA soldiers but she was blown off her feet and sent crashing through a wall by a large explosion.

Moonstone sat up quickly wiping a trickle of blood from her mouth and looking round for the source of the attack.

_"Welly, welly, welly!"_ came a cheery voice _"Moonstone honey I haven't seen you since Ms Marvel #41."_

Karla looked up straight into the leering red mask of Deadpool.

_ "I wondered when you'd show up again"_ she sneered.

**"She is sooooooo into us!"** came Deadpools inner voice.

"What should I do? I don't want to blow my shot with her!"

**"Give her another RPG"** his inner voice replied.

_"Don't mind if I do!"_ Deadpool said quickly taking another rocket from his pack and placing it into the launcher.

_"No you don't"_ Moonstone growled and she reacted quickly flying at Deadpool seizing him by the throat and slamming him against the wall feeling his neck snap in the process. _"Do you know what I'm going to do with you for the embarrassment you've caused me!"_ she snarled at him.

_"What? Is foreplay over already?"_ he said in surprise. He began to raise the RPG but Karla pulled it from his grasp and crushed it.

_"I'm going to turn you into one of my lab rats and make you suffer the most awful torture imaginable!"_

_"You're gonna make me watch X-Men origins: Wolverine?"_

Moonstone pressed down hard smashing part of his skull in the process.

_"You're a buffoon"_ she snarled again. Deadpool shifted his weight pushing Karla back slightly he then proceeded to wrap his arms round her neck pulling himself to her.

_"Maybe"_ he said leaning in a putting his lips close to her ear. _"but this buffoon has a healing factor! Do you?"_

***Click*click* click*click***

Moonstone looked down and to her horror saw the pins fly out of 6 grenades tied to the mercenary's chest.

_"Baby you and me, we're explosive!"_ he jeered.

**"No one says that!"** his inner voice muttered.

_"You just ruined a perfectly timed piece of comic genius!"_ he snapped indignantly as the grenades went off.

Alex ran up the winding stairs. He'd dismissed every guard he'd met, sending them to the courtyard to engage the HYDRA agents. "What the hell do they have to do with this?" he thought. "Not that I'm complaining as they seem to creating a suitable diversion." He made it to floor 3 and threw open the door. He was met by a corridor containing at least a dozen doors.

_"Shit which one leads to the holding cells?"_ he muttered eyes darting down the hall. As if to answer his question a door opened and 2 Blackwatch soldiers stepped out.

_"Sargent, what's going on?"_

_"We are under attack. Where's the prisoner?"_

_"Through here sir_" one of them said as they stood aside to let Alex pass. He looked at Dana who was sitting in the left hand corner of her cell.

_"Prepare to move the prisoner"_ Alex said turning to the two men.

_"Things not going to plan?"_ Dana asked smirking and fixing him with a dark glare.

_"Shut up girl!"_ one of the soldiers barked at her.

_"I'm sorry sir but Captain Cross was very specific we don't move the prisoner for anyone except himself." _the other replied.

_"Soldier in case you didn't notice we are under attack!"_ Alex snapped trying as best he could to keep the impatience out of his voice.

_"I'm sorry sir we are under orders"_ the soldier insisted firmly.

Alex moved instantly grabbing both men by the throat and holding them up against the wall. The two guards watched in horror as the Blackwatch uniform he was wearing retreated into his skin and was replaced by a grey hoodie, black leather jacket and denim jeans.

_"Who are you?"_ one of the guards managed to ask through strained breath.

_"Alex?"_

He turned to see Dana was on her feet looking at him in shock.

_"It's him! Its Zeus"_ one of the guards gurgled.

Alex turned his gaze to the holding cell it seemed to be locked with a very high tech mechanism no doubt if he forced it open it would set off an alarm. Although everyone was occupied with the commotion outside he still preferred not to draw as much attention to his presence as necessary.

_"Open the door!"_ Alex demanded snapping his head back to look at the 2 soldiers he had pinned to the wall.

_"We ain't doing or telling you shit!"_ one of the guards managed to retort at him. Alex smilied.

_"You don't have too"_ he replied snapping the left man's neck. The other guard watched in horror as tendrils sprung from Alex's skin snaking their way into his partner's skin and pulling him into Alex who absorbed him quickly. Alex raised his free had towards the other man's waist.

_"Please!"_ the man began _"Please don't kill me."_

But instead of delivering a blow as the man had thought, Alex's had went into the man's pocket and produced a card-key. Alex smiled at the guard and quickly slammed his head against the wall knocking him out. Dana retreated towards the back of her cell as Alex approached the door and using the cardkey opened it.

_"What the f*** happened to you?"_ she began, nervously backing up until she hit the back of her cell.

_"Listen we can't talk now Dana we're in danger here!"_ Alex said looking at her. He knew she'd obviously been slightly traumatized by what she'd just seen._ "Right now I need you just to trust me I'll explain what I can later!"_ he continued holding out his hand and praying she'd believe him.

Dana looked at him for a minute then slowly lifted her own to take his. Alex quickly dragged her out of the cell and into the corridor. "How are we gonna get out of here without being seen?" Dana asked looking down the corridor.

_"I think I know how"_ Alex said quickly retaking the form of Sargent Matthews. _"The only people who know I'm a fake where those two guards and I don't think that one is gonna be waking up for a while."_

_"Christ, Alex!"_ Dana exclaimed looking at him as he morphed back into the Blackwatch soldier. _"What did they do to you?"_

_"I don't know but I'm going to make sure they pay for it"_ he replied teeth clenched, pulling Dana towards the staircase.

_"Wait!"_

_"What?"_ Alex said turning to look at her.

_"If they used the Blacklight virus to make you like this we'll need some of it if we are going to be able to reverse the effects!"_

_"How do you know about Blacklight?"_ Alex replied looking at her surprised.

_"You told me about what they were doing and about how you were going to make them pay for using you. Don't you remember?"_ She asked seeing the blank look her brother was giving her.

_"No"_ he said finally. _"Look to tell you the truth I don't even remember you, whatever they did to me has screwed up my memory."_

_"What? But then how did you find and how do you know who I am?"_

_"Later we don't have time let's get the virus and get out of here!"_ Alex insisted dragging her down the stairs.

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later<strong>

_"Clowns! Oh my god they are everywhere!"_ Deadpool shouted as he snapped awake. _"God what a horrible dream"_ he muttered getting to his feet, his healing factor had already repaired most of the damage.

The mercenary looked at the remains of the reception room then down at Moonstone who still seemed to be out cold.

**"You realize that the only reason we beat her is because this is a FanFiction right?"** came the familiar voice in his head.

_"Hey brain your back! And yes I guess that I only beat her for plot convenience but hey you gotta learn to enjoy every victory, even the P.I.S victories!"_

**"P.I.S?"**

_"Plot induced stupidity"_ he explained as he pushed his left arm back into its socket. Moonstone began to stir. _"Guess that's my queue to get on with the mission if I were to fight her and win again it definitely would be P.I.S"_ he said jumping over her and heading for the laboratory, whilst pulling a pack of C4 from his backpack.

Moonstone propped herself up against the wall. _"Deadpool you're going to pay for this!"_ she seethed through gritted teeth. Karla looked up just in time to see the mercenary disappear into the lab. _"No you don't!"_ she snarled getting to her feet.

Moonstone rushed towards the door but to her surprise Deadpool suddenly came flying back out and crashed into the wall behind her. Two people emerged the girl she'd seen the Blackwatch solders lock up earlier and the other was Sargent Matthews. She looked back at the girl and saw she was holding one of the virus canisters.

_"Sargent what's the meaning of this!"_ she demanded pointing at Dana.

_"You're in my way"_ Alex growled, changing back into his normal attire. Karla stared at him in shock.

_"You're not the Sargent!"_

_"No the Sargent has been dead for a while"_ Alex replied looking at her and balling his fists.

Moonstone launched herself using the force to throw a punch at him but to her horror he simply put his hand out and caught her blow effortlessly, he then proceeded to pull her hand behind her back, dislocating her shoulder in the process.

"He's strong" she thought through gritted teeth as he slammed her into the ground, feeling the wind get knocked out of her as he did.

Alex spun her over holding her down with one foot on her stomach.

_"Tell Taggart Alex Mercer is coming for him!"_

The last thing Moonstone saw before passing out was Alex's inhuman yellow eyes glaring at her.


	15. Aim For The Head

**New Avengers hide out, New York 3:55pm**

_"Deadpool? You've got to be f***ing kidding!"_ Clint said looking at Peter and Wolverine in disbelief

_"The guy is a freaking psychopath"_ Mockingbird agreed.

_"I'm not saying he isn't"_ Peter replied looking at the rest of the team. _"But if his healing factor really is as strong as Logan says it is. He may be our only to hope to develop a vaccine."_

_"Ok, say we manage to create a cure and it works"_ Iron Fist began._ "Whats to stop people becoming reinfected as soon as they've be given the cure? I mean there's a vaccine for the common cold but that still doesn't stop people from getting it again."_

_"That's a good point"_ Cage agreed.

_"The virus itself has either a very slow or no mutation rate at all"_ Peter replied.

_"Meaning?"_

_"Meaning that the virus will not have time to develop new anti-gen markers so the body will become resistant and prevent the virus from re-infecting the same person"_ Logan said suddenly startling the others. Everyone turned to look at him. _"What? I went to school too"_ he said grumpily.

_"I'm impressed Logan, you actually sounded intelligent then"_ Peter chuckled.

_"There's still a problem"_ Wolverine said thoughtfully.

_"What's that?"_ Carol asked not sure whether she wanted to know the answer or not.

_"It's been tried before. A lot of people have tried to replicate Wades healing factor for various reasons but every time it's been a failure"_ Logan explained as he remembered the past failures.

_"But that's the brilliant part"_ Peter began. _"I don't need the effects to be permanent heck if I can just get his healing factor to work on someone for 10seconds it would be enough. All that needs to happen is for all the cells in the body to be instantly replaced. That way the anti-gen markers will have changed and become resistant to the virus."_

_"So how do we find him?"_ Spider-woman questioned.

_"If he doesn't want to be found we won't find him"_ Wolverine sighed. Deadpool may seem like an idiot to the average on looked but he was anything but.

_"Last I heard he was working for Hydra"_ Iron Fist replied thoughtfully.

_"Sounds like a good place to start"_ Carol began. _"and when we….."_

_"Hey guys you might want to see this!"_

Everyone turned to Cage who was looking at the small TV perched on the kitchen sideboard. They'd had the tele on mute while they were discussing their next move. Cage picked up the remote and put the sound back on.

_"We are coming to you live from the 5th Avenue 59th Street Station where a riot appears to have broken out"_ The blond anchor on the screen began. _"The Avengers are currently trying to put a halt to it but it doesn't seem to be going well. We will now go over to James who is currently flying overhead. What can you see James?"_

The camera flashed from the Blond woman to a dark haired man in a helicopter.

_"Well things a really heating up here. The Avengers are currently applying force to try and incapacitate the rioters."_

The picture changed to a view of the station below. Just outside the building being swarmed by about 50 people where Osborn and his Avengers.

_"Dear god"_ they heard the anchor breath into the microphone as the camera zoomed in to see that not only where the Avengers where under attack but also some of the rioters broke off and began to attack civilians. Suddenly the picture began to rock violently.

_"James?"_ they heard the other anchor say worridly.

_"WHAT THE F*** IS THAT THING?"_ they heard the screams of the male anchor and the picture briefly flashed to a large mutated face then the screen went static.

_"Well errrrr it seems we are experiencing some technical difficulties"_ the other anchor said as she tried to compose herself.

_"We've got to get down there fast!"_ Ms. Marvel said as she got up.

_"Looks like we'll have to look for Deadpool later"_ Peter agreed as he pulled off his shirt to reveal the familiar blue and crimson costume.

* * *

><p><strong>5th Avenue 59th Street Station, Manhattan The Red Zone 20 minutes earlier<strong>

The jet came to an abrupt halt hovering above the station.

_"Well time to go to work"_ Daken said groaning and cracking his neck. Cross watched as the Dark Avengers got up and headed towards the back of the jet.

_"Captain please follow me"_ Osborn said motioning for Cross to follow him. Cross followed him to the back of the jet where the other Dark Avengers where standing on a glowing platform. Cross entered the glowing circle and Osborn beamed them down to the station entrance.

They entered the building cautiously. It was very dark the only light coming from the odd naked light-bulb lining the walls.

_"Gargan. G__o check the room"_ Osborn said turning to the man. Gargan smiled as the symbiote slithered out of his body and began covering his skin. He then proceeded to jump to the ceiling. It was then Cross noticed that he bore a striking resemblance to one of the rogue Avengers.

_"Is the guy who was dressed in red and blue your brother or something?"_ he said watching as Venom crawled along the ceiling. Gargan stopped dead

_"Don't talk to us about the Spider"_ he snarled. Venom then turned his attention back to inspecting the room.

_"I wouldn't talk to Gargan about Spider-man, he's a little bitchy on the subject"_ Bullseye smirked turning to Cross.

_"Spider-man?"_ Cross questioned.

_"Yeah he's the red and blue guy you were on about."_

_"The guy piss him off?"_

_"I don't know the whole story but I believe that black suit Gargan's wearing was once Spider-man's and it's got some twisted crush on him. I'm guessing Gargan is a bit jealous"_ Bullseye leered.

_"So what's your part in this?"_ Cross asked looking at Bullseye.

_ "Money"_ Bullseye stated simply.

_"What about the rest of you?"_

_"Well Daken is just here to piss off his dad."_

_"His father?"_

_"Yeah the scary dude with the metal claws."_

Cross thought back to the docks. _"ah I see who you're talking about, and Moonstone?"_

_"I'll be honest with you I've no idea. I've noticed you 2 are getting rather chummy"_ Bullseye said winking at him knowingly.

_"What about Osborn?"_ Cross asked shrugging off the remark._ "How'd he get to be head of H.A.M.M.E.R?"_

_"Again I'm not too sure. H.A.M.M.E.R used to be called S.H.E.I.L.D until they gave the old head the boot."_

_"So he has no personal vendetta in this?"_

_"Well I do no he's been screwed over a few times by Spider-man the same as Gargan but apart from that I think he's just in it for the power."_

_"Enough talk Lester concentrate on the mission"_ Osborn growled turning his head and staring at Bullseye with his robotic eyes.

_"Over here!"_

They turned in the direction of the voice to see Venom breaking open a door. They walked through the door way into what looked like a laboratory.

_"It was barricaded from the inside?"_ Daken said looking at the pile of chairs and desks propped up against the doorway they had just come through.

_ "Looks like they were trying to keep people from getting in"_ Osborn said thoughtfully as he looked at what was left of the makeshift barricade.

_"Or to stop something getting out"_ Cross muttered as he looked at the mangled corpses of about 6 people.

_"Jesus"_ Daken said looking at them. He'd seen some macabre stuff heck he'd even killed an old lady in cold blood but what he was looking at now was completely vile they were barely recognizable as being human.

_"Are those bite marks?"_ Gargan questioned as he bent down to observe what looked to be the torso of a man.

_"Shit. It's as we feared"_ Cross said examining the bloody carcasses.

_"Looks like whatever did this came through here"_ Daken said pointing to another door that looked like it had been barricaded. The chairs and desks where strewn across the floor as if some immense force had pushed through from the other side.

_"Well lets go kill those sons of b****s"_ Venom leered jumping towards the door. As he reached the doorway a man lunged through it snarling. He landed on venom and began shrieking and clawing at him. Gargan grabbed the man by his neck he then proceeded to rip off the man's arm and throw him aside like a ragdoll.

_"Stupid f***er"_ Venom smirked its mouth curving into a smile and showing his inhumanly long teeth. Then to their shock the man got back to his feet. Seemingly unfazed by the loss of his arm he turned to the dark Avengers and bared his teeth.

***Bang***

The man was thrown back against the wall and sank down to the floor before laying their motionless.

_"Aim for the head"_ Cross said calmly blowing the smoke from his pistol.

_"Mr. Cross"_ Osborn began looking at him sternly through the mask of the Iron Patriot. _"If you have any information about whats going on here I invite you to speak now."_ Cross debated this for a minute.

"I can't reveal too much but if I don't tell them how to handle these things we don't stand a chance" he thought.

_"Well?"_ Osborn pressed.

_"Ok first of all the only way to put them down permanently is to decapitate them or destroy the cerebral cortex._ Second_ do not get bitten by them that's how the virus is transmitted and thirdly they may look like civilians but I can assure you they are nothing like their former selves. Do not give them an inch. If you let up even slightly they will kill you!"_

_"Oh I don't think that's going to be a problem"_ Osborn replied firing up his repulsers. They all turned to face the door.

_"You hear that?"_ Bullseye asked turning to Daken.

_"Hawkeye. If you can hear it and you have no mutant abilities then yes I'm pretty sure I heard it long before you. Sometimes I think you like acting stupid"_ Daken snapped back.

Before they could continue their argument a collection of low growls made them turn back to the door. Cross raised his weapon and unleashed a volley of bullets through the doorway. They heard the sickening thud the bullets made as they tore into skin and bone. Only a few came through the door at first and they were quickly dealt with by shots from the Iron Patriot and Hawkeye but soon their ferocity and numbers increased to a point that they were no longer able to keep them at a distance and were forced to fight them in close quarters.

Using his claws Daken decapitated a red haired woman who lunged at him. Using the momentum he span, striking a man who had come from behind sending him careering into the wall. A sharp pain in his ankle made him look down. He kicked out as the woman sunk her teeth into his leg again sending her flying into the wall with a sickening crack. Daken glanced quickly at his leg and smiled dryly as his mutant healing factor kicked in. Quickly sealing up the wound.

Cross quickly dispatched two middle aged men as they lept at him. Taking his pistol he shot the first man through the head and grabbed the second by the arm and using his body weight forced the man onto his knees before placing both hands on the man's head and twisting violently causing the creatures neck to snap. Cross turned surveying the onslaught.

"It's too cramped here" he thought grimly "if we stay here much longer we'll get over run."

_"Osborn!"_ he shouted. The Iron Patriot turned in his direction. _"We can't stay here we need room to maneuver!"_ he bellowed whilst discharging another round of bullets into the oncoming wave of teeth and claw. Osborn nodded he knew Cross was right they had to get some space.

_"Avengers pull back!"_ he shouted as he disengaged from the fight. The others also disengaged and headed for the door they had come from. They burst out of the station the light of day temporarily blinding them.

_"Shit!"_ Cross cursed at the sight infront of him. Reporters, helicopters and civilians had all gathered behind the small blockade obviously curious as to the noises radiating from the station. _"OSBORN! DIDN'T YOU SET UP A ROAD BLOCK TO ISOLATE THIS PLACE FROM CIVILIANS?"_ he bellowed. Osborn didn't have time to respond as the infected burst out of the station. _"GET THE CIVILAINS OUT OF HERE!"_ Cross continued whilst running to reengage the horde.

_"What do we care about a few dead people?"_ Hawkeye smirked letting loose an arrow. It hit the nearest assailant in the head and exploded on impact.

_"A few casualties are the least of my worries"_ Cross replied as he shot punched the nearest infected in the head causing it to fall back. _"But if they manage to get to that crowd over there they'll pass on the infection and how long do you think we'll be able to hold out when we are fighting hundreds of these things?"_

Hawkeye's demeanor changed dramatically as he realized the gravity of the situation.

_"Help us!"_

Gargan finished ripping the head off the woman he'd pinned down and turned his alien eyes in the direction of the voice. A few of the infected had broken off from the rest and where attacking the nearby onlookers. Using his webbing he launched himself into the air he crashed into the crowd throwing the infected off like they were a child's playthings.

_"Get out of here! Or I'll kill you myself!"_ he snarled baring his teeth at the terrified onlookers.

Cross had seen the infected attack the crowd and instantly knew all was lost there was no way of knowing how many people had been bitten. He looked up at a helicopter that was hovering just above them. By the way it hovered he guessed it was a news chopper.

"Well it looks like the cats out of the bag" he thought grimly "I dunno how Taggart is gonna cover this up!"

His attention was quickly drawn back to the station as a large humanoid creature emerged. It was a dark red in color and had long pointed teeth. Cross instantly recognized it as a hunter. They were the byproduct of GENTEK and Blakwatch's research into the virus strain that had given him his superhuman attributes. Blackwatch had wanted to use them as shock troops to be sent in to scatter enemy infantry but they had proven unpredictable at the best of times.

The creature snarled and quickly began scaling the side of the building. Cross watched helplessly as the hunter launched itself onto helicopter and heard the screams of the crew. The helicopter span violently under the hunter's weight before crashing into the ground sending debris flying in all directions. The Iron patriot ducked as one of the helicopters wing blades spun in his direction. It missed him by mere inches slicing three of the infected in half in the process. He stood up and found himself back to back with Daken.

_"We've got a problem!"_ the mutant panted as he dispatched the last infected to come out of the station.

_"Tell me something I don't know!"_ Osborn replied callously. Daken shrugged off his tone and continued.

"_The infection has spread to the bystanders."_

Norman turned following Dakens gaze to see a fresh wave of snarls and teeth bearing down on them. The infected smashed into them with such force it knocked most of the Dark Avengers to the ground.

Hawkeye looked up from his back as a woman who looked to be in her early thirties lept at him. Instinctively he put his arms up to brace himself for the assault. Just as the woman was about to land on him a gloved fist came into contact with her jaw sending her sprawling to the floor.

"_Well, well Lester. It seems you're losing your touch"_ Ronin said slightly smugly as he began pulling a katana from its scabbard.


	16. Escape From HAMMER

**5th Avenue 59th Street Station, Manhattan The Red Zone, 4:15pm**

"You know Normy if I was bigger man I wouldn't find you being pummeled very funny but as it stands I'm not, so its hoot!" Peter said as he swung into the

infected pinning Osborn to the ground.

As soon as he'd done it he considered the fact that he made have made a mistake in freeing him.

The Iron Patriot got back to his feet firing off repulser blasts into a two men who were preparing to leap at him.

He then turned his attention to the web-slinger who was currently latched onto the side of a building to the left of him.

Cross observed as the other Avengers arrived on the scene.

"Looks like they may be useful after all" he thought.

He was quickly snapped out of his thoughts as the infected recommenced their assault.

He spun delivering a roundhouse kick into one as it attempted to bite him.

Unfortunately he hadn't seen the other one coming in from his right flank.

Cross turned realizing his mistake and raising his pistol.

***Click***

The bridge of the gun snapped back giving the telltale sign that the magazine was empty.

"Shit" he cursed as the man landed on him forcing him onto the ground.

Cross put his forearm under the man's neck pushing to keep his snapping teeth away from his face.

Suddenly the man was thrown off him.

He looked up to see a dark haired woman dressed in red with a yellow symbol on her chest, her eyes where covered by a pair of white lenses.

Using his weight he pushed forward launching himself back to his feet.

Jessica stared at the man who returned it coldly.

Then to her surprise he extended his hand,"I believe a temporary alliance would be mutually beneficial" he said still watching to see if she was going to

attack him.

"I don't work with murderers" she replied icily.

"Murders?" he said looking genuinely surprised.

"What makes you think I'm a murderer?"

"I saw the look in your eyes as you raised that pistol at the man just now" she replied gesturing to the pistol on the floor next to him.

"You can't save them" Cross stated.

She was about to reply when Cross grabbed her by the arm twisting her behind him grabbing the snarling woman who was about to bite her.

He elbowed the woman in her chest, she bent over from the force of the punch.

Cross took this chance to grab the back of her neck and pushing down, her head slammed into the pavement smashing her skull.

Spider-woman stood there in shock at the cold blooded murder she had just witnessed.

"YOU MONSTER!" she screamed lashing out with her left hand.

The attack was clumsy with rage and was easily deflected by someone of Cross's training.

He countered, kicking her legs from beneath her he quickly picked up his pistol and slipped a new magazine into the grip and pressed it against Jessica's

forehead.

"You can't save them now" he insisted darkly "if you're not prepared to do what has to be done then leave NOW!"

"Murder isn't the answer!" she insisted pushing against the gun at her head.

"This isn't murder anymore its survival! You've no idea how dire this situation really is!" he replied grimly.

Suddenly he felt a searing pain in his chest he looked down to see three metal blades sticking out of his shoulder.

"Take the gun away from the lady's head bub."

He turned to look over his shoulder and came face to face with Logan.

Before he could respond Spider-woman grabbed his arm and through him over her shoulder.

He smashed into the wall behind her, groaning he hauled himself upright.

"You all right Jess?" Logan said pulling her to her feet.

"Yeah I'm fine" she replied.

Logan turned back to Cross who was in the process of rubbing his shoulder.

Thanks to the Blacklight experiments he had undergone his healing factor was a lot faster than a normal humans, not quite as good as Wolverines but it still

scabbed over the wounds almost instantaneously and dimmed the pain in his shoulder.

"You're all fools" he spat "They aren't human anymore they don't have any concept of mercy or emotions, heck they can't even think! They are programmed

to do one thing and one thing only! Pass on the infection!"

**Meanwhile outside H.A.M.M.E.R**

Alex lashed out sending HYDRA and Blackwatch agents flying in all directions.

Grabbing Dana he pulled her towards a manhole in middle of the courtyard.

Pulling off the manhole cover he threw it at a group of HYDRA agents who were knocked off their feet by the force of the throw.

"Go!" he motioned to Dana to climb down into the sewers.

Just as she began to climb down the ladder he saw it.

A Blackwatch soldier had an AT4 rocket launcher trained on him.

Everything slowed he turned to Dana then back to the soldier and realized with horror that he had no way of getting Dana out of the blast radius.

The rocket whistled towards Alex who brought his arms up instinctively.

The explosion was deafening, because of the close quarters many of the fighting HYDRA and Blackwatch soldiers were thrown off their feet.

Dust and rumble was thrown into the air.

"Did you get him? Did you get Mercer?" the man next to the soldier who fired the rocket asked excitedly.

"I think so! He must have taken it head on. Can't see a f***ing thing through this dust!"

As the dust cleared something became visible through the smog.

"What the f*** is that?" one of the soldiers asked taken aback by the sight.

In front of them where Alex had once stood was a mass of tentacles snaking and intertying.

Alex opened his eyes, he looked in shock at the shield in front of him it was at least four times bigger than his whole body.

As he relaxed his stance the tentacles retracted into his skin.

Everyone had frozen, Blackwatch and HYDRA agents alike turned to watch as the mass of tentacles shrank to reveal a very shocked and angry looking

project Zeus.

Alex snapped his head round to look for his sister.

She was half way down the manhole also frozen in shock but what had just occurred.

Suddenly Alex felt a strange sensation rippling through his body his skin began to crawl and his tentacles began reappearing.

"GO" he bellowed.

Dana quickly snapped out of her daze and began quickly descending into the sewers.

Everything happened so fast hundreds of long red and black tentacles sprung from Alex's body lashing and ricocheting in all directions.

Alex watched as ripped into the soldiers sending blood flying everywhere.

He heard their screams as the tentacles ripped them limb from limb.

Then as quickly as it had begun it finished they all retracted into his skin pulling the bodies of the dead soldiers with them.

Alex sank to his knees as the memories of at least 20 soldiers flooded his consciousness.

Once the images had faded he got shakily to his feet surveying the damage he'd caused.

"Jesus, I need to learn to control whatever the hell they did to me. What if this had happened in a crowded area or worse near Dana" he thought solemnly.

With that he turned quickly and chased after Dana down into the sewers before more agents could arrive.

Completely ignoring the ladder he free fell into the darkness.

He landed with a thud on the wet sewer floor looking down he noticed his feet had cracked the bricks he had landed on.

There was something that scared him about himself and it wasn't his abilities but the fact that he'd killed those two men in the alley not to mention god

know's how many in the courtyard and yet felt no remorse.

He knew he should feel something, it was human nature and yet thinking back to the massacre he had orchestrated he felt absolutely no sorrow or guilt.

Alex quickly snapped out of his thoughts and began to run down the passage after Dana.

He caught up with her surprisingly quickly.

She was standing breathlessly a few yards up the passage.

"What happened to you Alex?" she said looking at him as she slid down to prop herself up against the side of the sewer tunnel.

"I don't know I just suddenly felt weird and it just happened" he replied surprised he hadn't realized she'd seen what had happened in the courtyard.

"I don't mean just now Alex I mean what happened to you after you went to get the virus?" Alex stared back at her blankly.

"You went to get a sample of the virus to prove the shit that was going down in GENTEK."

"How deep is she in this?" Alex thought staring at her.

"My god you weren't kidding you really don't remember anything."

"I don't remember anything prior to a few days ago."

Dana stared at him for a minute.

"You must remember something I mean you obviously remembered me."

"No" he replied "I can't remember anything about you I only managed to find out you where my sister by interrogating a Blackwatch soldier" he finished

thinking back to the alleyway.

He waited for a minute as she took it all in.

"Well to be fair Alex you haven't lost much we were never really close I mean I hadn't heard from you in three years then suddenly you turn up on my

doorstep saying something about being in trouble, GENTEK and a chemical weapon."

"Where was I heading when you last saw me?"

"You mentioned something about going to GENTEK to pay them back."

"Where is the lab?" he replied.

"I know a safe house in New York it may be better think out a plan there."

"Did I tell you anything else about Blackwatch or GENTEK?"

"No, you were pretty cagey on the subject. You might find some answers at you apartment" she finished.

"Apartment?" Alex questioned.

"You rented an apartment near the center of New York."

"Ok let's get to the safe house and we'll think of something there" he said pulling Dana to her feet.

"You ok carrying that?" he said gesturing to the canister.

"I may be a girl Alex but I'm not a weakling!" she said picking up the canister and pushing past him.


	17. I'm Sending Greene

**Back at 5th Avenue 59th Street Station, Manhattan The Red Zone 4:30pm**

Carol was trying to get as many civilians away from the riots below as fast as she could.

It had started to get ugly everyone seemed to have gone completely insane.

"Help!"

She turned in the direction of the voice and saw a man and a small girl who must have been his daughter trying to hold off the rioters.

She flew as quickly as she could landing in front of the man and his daughter.

Carol turned to look at the rioters it was then she realized that something was terribly wrong.

The closest one stared at her snarling and snapping wildly.

It threw itself at her and the others followed in hot pursuit.

She smacked the first one across the face her inhuman strength sent him sprawling back into the others.

She took this chance to grab the family and fly them to safety.

"Thank you" the man said looking at her gratefully.

She smiled in recognition and began flying back as fast as she could to the ensuing battle.

As she arrived she saw three black SUV's pull up to the right of the melee.

Soldiers wearing matching black uniforms got out of them and then to her horror cocked their weapons and began firing wildly into the crowd.

"About f***ing time they got here!" Cross said as the Blackwatch soldiers began to engage the infected.

Carol flew at the soldiers in attempt to get them to stop.

Some of them turned their weapons and began to fire at her but the bullets bounced off her skin and fell harmlessly to the ground.

Grabbing the closest one she pinned him to one of the SUV's.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

"We're just following orders" the man stuttered back.

"Killing innocent people?" she growled.

"No they are infected with blacklight" the man replied visibly scared.

She stood there for a minute as the information sank in.

"Tell your men to stop firing!" she demanded.

But to her surprise the man didn't reply he just stood frozen.

Ms Marvel looked into his gasmask and saw he was staring past her.

She turned her head and came face to face with the creature that had brought down the helicopter.

The hunter snarled before striking her with its clawed hand sending her careering into one of the SUV's to her right.

"Hey Ozzy wouldn't it be better if you did your so called job and helped people get away from here" Spider-man said as he dodged a repulser blast.

"Part of my job is also to take down unregistered superhumans and why would I change the habit of a lifetime bug?"

"True, it would be out of your psychopathic character to listen to any form of reason anyhow" he said firing a web line.

Latching onto Osborn's armor he leapt into the air and used the web line to pull himself towards the Iron patriot.

Using the momentum of the pull he slammed his fist into Norman's helmet causing him to stumble.

"I've got to take him out fast so I can help evacuate people" he thought.

A sudden burst of gunfire made him turn and he watched in horror as a group of soldiers emptied a volley of gun fire into the crowd.

Completely forgetting Osborn he turned all his attention to soldiers.

Just as he leapt towards them the telltale buzz of his spidersense echoed in his ears.

To late, one of Osborn's repulser blasts hit him square in the back sending him crashing into the pavement.

Turning his head he watched as Ms Marvel crashed into the soldiers ceasing their gun fire.

Before Peter could get to his feet Osborn landed ontop of him pinning him with one foot whilst placing one of his hands above Peters head.

"This isn't how I thought I'd end you" Osborn admitted "I thought things would end in a 1 on 1 fight to the death like true nemesis's but I'm not

complaining."

Peter watched as the repulser on Normans glove started to charge.

"C'mon get a grip Parker don't die here not now, not him!"

Just then something collided with Osborn throwing him off Spider-man.

Getting to his feet Peter saw the object that had thrown Osborn off him was in fact Carol.

He was about to go help her when his spidersense went haywire giving into instinct he threw himself to the side landing gracefully a few meters away.

A clawed hand smashed the pavement where he had once been sprawled out.

The hunter looked at Spider-man baring its teeth and snarling.

"What the hell is that thing?" Peter gasped observing the monstrosity.

It leapt at him with surprising speed for its size Peter ducked as its claws narrowly missed his head causing a few tears in his mask as the clawed hand

scratched his cheek.

He rolled beneath it landing on the other side of the hunter he kicked himself backwards into the air summersaulting over the creature he shot two web lines

from his wrists snagging the hunter on both its hands.

Landing infront of it he shifted his weight turning and using the momentum too throw the hunter off its feet and into one of the walls of the station.

The force of the impact caved in part of the wall.

Rubble fell onto the hunter as it got back to its feet, looking at Spider-man it unleashed a roar seemingly unfazed by being slammed into a brick wall.

Peter prepared himself for another assault but the hunter didn't move it stayed there glaring at him and continuing with its droning scream.

Cross looked away from the two Avengers in front of him, looking in the direction of the hunter, realization began to dawn on him.

"SHUT IT UP! SHUT THAT F***ING THING UP!" He screamed pulling a grenade from his belt he threw it at the hunter.

It exploded on impact shattering the remaining segment of wall.

"Was I quick enough?" he thought looking at the large smoking hole in the wall.

But to his horror he realized he wasn't, as a symphony of roars began resonating from the hole in the wall.

He knew he'd been stupid as soon as he'd seen the hunter he should have pulled back or taken it down fast and silently.

He knew that Blackwatch grew them in batches of anything from 10-30 but he'd been caught up the spur of the moment and ignored his military training to

always think before acting.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" he cursed himself inwardly.

As the smoke cleared a horde of yellow eyes and snarls swarmed out.

"GET BACK TO H.A.M.M.E.R WE'VE LOST HERE!" he shouted to his men.

**Taggarts office, Undisclosed Location, New York about 4:30pm**

Taggart watched the screen in horror as his men were forced to retreat by the horde of infected and hunters.

The phone began ringing Taggart turned to it with a feeling of dread, he had a good idea who was on the other end and they were going to be furious.

"Taggart here" he said nervously into the receiver.

"I thought you said your men would handle this?" came the uncharacteristically calm voice of General Randall.

"Sir do not concern yourself with this I will make sure it is taken care of" replied Taggart wiping sweat from his forehead.

"I think you've done enough Colonel I'm sending in Greene."

"Greene!" replied Taggart horrified.

"With all due respect Sir, Greene is uncontrollable and unpredictable there's no way we can use her she's just as likely to kill us as the infected."

"Do not Concern yourself with that Colonel we have her completely under control, we'll use her ability to communicate with the infected to control them and

stop this indiscretion. Oh and Colonel do not fail me again" Randall said as he hung up the phone.

"Shit" Taggart cursed out loud slamming down the phone.

"Greene is to dangerous it had taken a hell of a lot of resources including Cross to capture her during the Idaho incident" he thought grimly.

He picked up the phone again and quickly punched in a number.

"Colonel Taggart Sir" a voice responded.

"Sargent it's good to hear your voice again" the Colonel replied recognizing the voice "How was Iraq?"

"Hot" the man replied simply.

"Sargent I need to know everything I can about Elizabeth Greene's current condition. Can you patch me onto one of the scientists working on her?"

"Certainly sir, but before I do can I permit myself a question?"

"Depends on what it is" Taggart replied sharply.

"Forgive me Sir I only wish to have news of when I will be transferred from the Marines back into Blackwatch? Also I had heard that there was an incident in

New York is there any news of my family?"

"Sargent Heller I can assure that your family are at no risk and I have already put the demand that you be transferred to the Blackwatch to the General ,

now please put me through to the lab."

"Yes Sir" Heller replied as he pressed the button to patch the call through to the laboratory.

"Soon I'll be home" he thought looking at a photo on his desk of his wife and daughter.

* * *

><p>Note: Heller is not going to become a recurring character any time soon at least not until the events from Prototype are finished. This is more of a cameo.<p> 


	18. These Might Come In Handy

**Sewers Somewhere beneath New York 4:30pm**

Alex slowed as he reached a manhole he deemed far enough away from H.A.M.M.E.R.

He'd been running flat out since he escaped and wasn't even breathing heavily in fact he didn't even feel strained even though he had also taken to

carrying Dana and the virus canister as she had trouble keeping up.

"Climb the ladder!" he said as he placed Dana on her feet.

"What ladder?" she asked.

Alex looked at her confused it was about a meter in front of her how could she not see it.

"The one in front of you. You gone blind?" he said jokily.

"It's pitch black in here what do you expect."

"No it isn't" he said surprised.

"Yes it f***ing is Alex!" He was taken aback he could see fine.

"Another little present from Blackwatch" he muttered to himself as he took the canister from Dana and guided her to the ladder.

Once she had pushed the manhole cover off and climbed out he quickly followed her up the ladder.

Utter chaos greeted him, people where running in all directions screaming.

"What the f*** is going on?" he said grabbing woman with his free hand as she tried to run past him.

"A riot broke out a few blocks down a bunch of crack heads just started attacking people" she replied visibly scared.

"We should get out of here!" Dana said suddenly appearing at his side.

Alex released the woman and watched as she followed the rest of the frightened people down the street.

"Which way to the safe house?" he asked, turning to Dana.

"I just saw a sign and if I'm right it's about 10 minutes from here."

"Which way?"

"The same direction the crowds are heading" she replied.

They began to follow the crowd down the street.

An inhuman roar made Alex look over his shoulder.

About 500 meters behind him a large mutated creature was plowing through some of the straggling crowd.

"Alex!" he turned to see Dana heading down an alleyway.

The creature raised its head from the carcasses it was currently gorging on and fixed Dana with its cold eyes.

"Shit" Alex cursed inwardly as he realized they had attracted some unwanted attention.

He ran towards the alleyway as fast as he could he didn't need to look behind him to know that, that things was following them he could hears its clawed

limbs scraping the ground and its throaty growls.

He soon caught up with Dana who was standing in front of a brick wall.

"A dead f***ing end!" he growled looking at Dana.

"F*** YOU Alex! I made a mistake alright it must be the next one up!"

Before they could continue arguing the hunter came careering down the alleyway.

It stopped about 5 meters in front of them.

Alex could see that it seemed to have most of its attention fixed on Dana a if she was some piece of prime steak.

While the other part of it seemed to be sizing him up as if he was some kind of competition.

"What the hell is that thing?" Dana whispered from behind him.

"No f***ing idea" he replied looking at the macabre being in front of him.

"There's no way past it" Dana whispered again panic starting to creep into her voice.

"Looks like I'll just have to move it then" he said handing Dana the canister.

He took a step forward the creature instantly crouched down to a leaping position.

Taking another step it began to snarl viciously.

Quickly he leapt at the wall to his right then using his right leg he propelled himself towards the hunter.

The hunter responded in kind by throwing itself at him.

They collided with a sickening crack.

The hunter had leapt at him with animalistic blood lust not stopping to think the situation through.

Alex on the other hand had shifted his weight in mid-flight using the force from the jump to punch the hunter squarely in the face.

The hunter was sent flying back through the alley into the building opposite.

The strength of the punch had been so strong the hunter went straight through the wall.

Alex landed on one knee, although the hunter hadn't caused a lot of damaged the impact had still winded him.

"Come on!" he managed to pant as he grabbed Dana and began pulling her back the way they'd come.

They pushed their way through the crowd towards the next alley.

An angry roar emitted from the building the hunter had crashed through.

The hunter climbed back through the hole its collision with the wall had made.

Alex's punch hadn't been completely ineffective as a lot of the hunters long pointed teeth where either broken or hanging by strands of gore from its

snarling mouth.

"Run!" Alex screamed at Dana as they ran down the next alley.

Looking over his shoulder he saw the shadow of the hunter appear on the wall at the other end of the alley.

They came out of the alley into another street.

"Is this the right one?" Alex asked urgently.

"Yes the house is about 10 minutes in that direction" she said pointing.

Alex quickly snapped his head back round to check on the hunter and to his horror realized there was now two of them.

"Shit" he cursed out loud.

"Get to the safe house!" he said looking at his sister.

"What about you?"

"I'll catch up. We won't get far with those things following us" he said eyeing the two hunters.

Dana dropped something into his pocket.

He turned looking at her quizzically.

"My mobile."

"They didn't take it off you when you were arrested?"

"They didn't search me thoroughly enough" she replied.

"Get out of here call me when you're at the safe house."

"Be careful Alex" she called over her shoulder as she began running canister in hand.

"Come on then you ugly sons of b****s!" he said returning his attention to the approaching hunters.

The first one leapt at him teeth bared.

Alex quickly uprooted a lamppost using it as a bat he clubbed the incoming hunter in jaw sending it flying back down the alley.

The second one was already in the air landed on Alex using its weight to pin him to the ground.

Alex quickly jammed the metal part of the lamppost into its mouth to prevent it from biting him.

Then rocking backwards he used both his feet to propel the hunter over his head.

It crashed into a car a few meters behind him smashing the windows and making a large indentation in the side of it.

The first hunter was back on its feet running towards Alex bent on killing him.

He was barely on his feet when the hunter slammed into him propelling them both backwards and pinning him to a wall.

Alex ducked as one of its clawed hands came sweeping towards his head and responded by kicking the creature on its left shin.

He felt the bone break under his foot and saw one of the creatures leg bones break though its skin.

The hunter released him howling in pain.

Alex took this opportunity to slam his right hand into the hunters forcing it flat on its back.

He jumped on top of the howling hunter and then using both hands began to viciously beat creature until finally he felt the skull cave beneath his bloodied

fists.

Panting he got back to his feet and prepared to engage the second hunter who was getting back on its feet.

A now familiar feeling crept through his body the back and red tendrils sprung from his skin latching onto the dead hunter and absorbed it.

Unfortunately the moment of distraction gave the hunter all the advantage it needed it charged at Alex who turned, mentally scolding himself for being so

careless.

Alex didn't even have time to ball his fists as the second hunter landed on him.

A bloodcurdling cry resonated from the hunters mouth.

Confused Alex looked down at his hands and realized with shock his fingers had become long serrated claws much like the hunter's but a lot longer and

seemed to have an almost metallic look to them.

Getting back to his feet he held the impaled hunter in the above his head.

Pulling with both hands the creature screamed as Alex snapped its spine and ripped it in half.

Again the tendrils sprung from his skin absorbing the two parts of the dead hunter.

He noticed that when he absorbed them he didn't seem to gain any memories, whatever had been done to these things must have badly screwed up their

mind.

He looked at his hands and watched as the long claws and black skin retreated to be replaced by his normal light color.

"These might come in handy" he said to himself smiling dryly.

Flexing his hands Alex quickly checked to make sure no more of those creatures were following him then began to run up the street following the way he'd

seen Dana go.

He'd been running for 4 minutes when he heard the phone ring.

**Meanwhile on a Ship Heading for New York**

"I don't know how much longer I can take this" one of the marines suddenly piped up.

There were four of them sitting in the hull of the boat playing poker.

"What you getting seasick?"

"No you moron. It's that girl in the container over there she's giving me the creeps."

Some of them turned in the direction of the containment unit.

"I don't know what you're talking about she's kinda hot" one of them said jokily.

It was true the woman in container would have been very beautiful if her face wasn't contorted into a mix of hate and sadness.

Elizabeth Greene glared at the marines through the 6 inches of bullet proof glass in front of her.

Her long red hair fell untidily around the ivory skin of her face.

If it wasn't for the container she would have ripped them limb from limb but as it stood she would have to bide her time.

It had taken months to convince the Blackwatch scientists she was completely under the effects of their drugs and with every meter the boat drew closer

to New York she could feel her fellow infected more intensely.

Suddenly a huge presence invaded her consciousness a being so infected she could feel it all the way out here as though it was standing right next to her.

Reaching out she felt for the source of the presence some images flashed briefly but it was enough for her to gather the basics.

"Alex Mercer" she thought to herself "I'm very interested in meeting you."

She shivered with anticipation never had she come into contact with someone infected on this level it truly was immense.

A smile graced her lips as a plan began to form in her mind.

"Ok that does it I'm going up to the top deck for a bit!" the first marine suddenly said.

"Wow what's bitten you?" one of the asked.

"I ain't gonna sit here while that creepy b**** smiles demonically at me" he said storming out of the room.

The rest of them turned to look at Greene, her eyes where closed and in fact she seemed more calm at this point than any time during the trip.

"Looks like Mike's head is starting to play tricks on him. Not that I can blame him that chick is creeping me out too."

"The sooner Blackwatch takes her off our hands the better!" one of the others agreed.

With that they returned to their game.


	19. It's Just A Scratch

**5th Avenue 59th Street Station, Manhattan The Red Zone a little after 4:30pm**

Barbra Morse lashed out, her foot come into contact with the hunters jaw.

Mockingbird may only be peak human but hunter still acknowledged the blow by staggering slightly.

"How did this go from normal to total shit storm?" she thought to herself as she and the other Avengers fell back followed in hot pursuit by the hunters.

The local law enforcements and Blackwatch where doing their best to hold off the hunters and infected but unfortunately the ferocity with which they

battered their lines was too much.

She watched as two hunters smashed through the barricade of soldiers to follow the screaming crowds down the street.

"God dammit!" she cursed as she realized that if she didn't go after them they would slaughter the civilians.

Mockingbird looked towards her fellow Avengers trying to catch one of their eyes to inform them of where she was heading.

She briefly locked eyes with Spider-woman and gestured with her head towards the hunters.

Jessica nodded in recognition and was about to break off and help her when she was attacked by another hunter.

Mockingbird quickly turned her attention back to the two hunters who had now gone out of sight.

She sprinted quickly down the street as fast as she could.

"Where the hell did they go?" she cursed out loud.

Turning a corner she saw a man in a black jacket and grey hoodie and a girl with short dark hair carrying what looked like a canister come running out of an

alley a few yards up the street.

The girl said something to the man before she turned and began running.

The man on the other hand turned back to the alley.

Then she saw them the hunters where running down the alley towards the man who seemed to be frozen in place.

"NO!" she screamed inwardly as the nearest hunter leapt at him.

But to her shock the man grasped a lamppost to his right and wrenched it from the ground concrete and all, using only one arm.

He then proceeded to swing it like a club smacking the first hunter in the face and sending it flying backwards.

The second one pounced on him but was quickly thrown off and sent crashing into a blue BMW behind him.

The first hunter lunged again pinning the unknown man against the wall she was about to intervene but the man somehow slipped out of its grasp and

managed to throw the creature to the ground.

He then then began pummeling the creatures head.

She watched in astonishment as he brutally dispatched the first hunter.

Then something strange happened, tentacles sprung from the man's body snaking their way around the dead hunter and pulled it into him.

She watched transfixed as his skin absorbed the corpse and his hands changed from fists into long serrated claws.

The second hunter recommenced its attack it jumped on him then screamed in pain as the man's claws cut through its flesh.

The man got back to his feet holding the hunter aloft and then ripped it in half.

The tentacles reappeared absorbing the two half's of the hunter.

She watched as he looked at his hands as they changed from the bloody claws into hands.

He seemed to mutter something to himself, then without even looking in her direction began to run up the street.

"What the f*** did I just see?" Mockingbird thought as she began to chase after the man.

After about 2 minutes of chasing him she realized it was hopeless, the man was inhumanly fast.

Looking down Mockingbird saw that the pavement had cracked under the man's feet as he ran.

She stopped still slightly taken aback by the events, in hindsight she came to the conclusion that it was good she hadn't followed him, by remembering the

fact that one of those creatures had thrown Carol; the strongest person on their team, about like a ragdoll whereas this man had just killed two in a matter

of seconds.

**Back At 5th Avenue 59th Street Station, Manhattan The Red Zon**e

Osborn threw Carol off him, rage evident in his movements.

"I'd been so f***ing close!" he cursed to himself thinking back to Spider-man.

Although he was angry, a part of him was actually pleased.

It had seemed too easy at the time, he didn't really want to finish the bug off just like that, he wanted him to suffer.

"Computer" he spoke into his metal mouth piece.

"Yes Mr Osborn" came the robotic voice.

"Commence evasive action and get me to the jet."

"Certainly Mr Osborn" The autopilot came on instantly booting his hand and foot thrusters propelling him towards the plane.

The computer calculated the safest route through the mass of infected and hunters.

Arriving at the plane he found that Gargan was already in it trying to boot up the extraction beams.

"How the f*** does this work!" he cursed slamming his fist onto the control panel.

"Gargan your lucky that I don't need you for your intellect" Osborn responded coldly walking up to the controls and began booting the beams.

"WHAT THE F*** IS TAKING YOU GARGAN!" Bullseye screamed up at the plane.

"He probably got distracted by something shiny" Daken said as knocked an infected to the ground.

He was just about to deliver a fatal blow when a hand grabbed his wrist twisting and locking it behind his back.

"These people aren't responsible for their actions" Ronin growled from behind him.

"F*** that they've been trying to rip us apart since earlier I'm not holding back!" Daken said as he countered slipping out of Clint's grasp.

"There's no need to kill them just incapacitate them!" Ronin insisted.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Bullseye cried as one of his arrows struck an infected square in the chest sending it crashing to the floor.

It had barely been down a few seconds before it began to get back to its feet snarling and baring its bloodied teeth.

"You can't f***ing incapacitate them!" Bullseye said pointing as the man got back to his feet.

Ronin stared as he realized Bullseye was right, he was in a kill or be killed situation.

Although it went against everything the Avengers stood for he knew that if he didn't use lethal force he wouldn't get out of this alive.

"Shit" he cursed out loud, striking a blond haired woman in the head with the hilt of his katana sending her sprawling back.

He reached down to his left pulling out a Five-Seven semi-automatic pistol and trained it at the woman's head.

With a snarl she snapped her head up to look at him.

Clint froze staring at the blond woman, what shook him most was her resemblance to Barbra.

"This woman hadn't asked for this, she might even have a family. I can't pull the trigger, can I?" he thought still rooted to the spot.

The woman launched herself at him teeth bared.

As she was just about to land on him he realized he couldn't kill her.

He braced himself for the impact.

But before she landed on him him, Daken came out of nowhere piercing her head with his claws and throwing her back to the ground.

"There! Now she's f***ing incapacitated!" he spat.

"Carol? Are you ok?" Peter asked as he helped her to her feet.

"Yeah, just a bit whoozy. That thing hits like a sledgehammer!" She said looking up trying to find the hunter.

"Where the hell did they all come from?" she asked shock evident in her voice as she saw the other hunters.

"Out of the station" Peter replied watching as his fellow Avengers tried to hold their own against them.

"We can't hold them off" Carol said as if confirming what he was thinking.

"We need to pull back until we can figure out how to deal with this!" She finished.

"Let's get the others out of here" he replied, he hated the idea of leaving these people here but they didn't seem to be harming each other they only

seemed interested in the non-infected.

"I'll go and grab Luke and Danny" Ms Marvel said as she flew towards Iron Fist and Cage.

Grabbing them by their collars she lifted them into the air, out of reach from the infected and hunters bellow.

"Jess!" she shouted trying to get Spider-woman's attention.

Spider-woman blasted the hunter she had be sparring with in the face with a venom-blast, then looked up at Ms Marvel.

"Go and get Ronin and Logan."

"I'm on it" she said as she followed Carol into the air grabbing Logan at the same time.

"Can you see Clint?" she asked looking down at Wolverine.

"Nope there's to many of those things, Can't see a thing!"

Then she saw him fighting side by side with Bullseye and Daken.

She began to fly towards him when suddenly a beam of light shot out of Osborn's jet beaming the three men up into the aircraft.

"Dammit!" she cursed turning and flying back to a nearby rooftop where the rest of the Avengers had regrouped.

"Well, well, what have we here?" Osborn smirked looking at Ronin who got to his feet.

"Tie him to one of the seats" he said looking at Daken and gesturing to a long length of rope.

"Anyone else getting déja vu?" Ronin said as Daken finished tying him to the seat.

"They got Clint" Jessica said landing on the roof.

"Who the infected?" Luke said getting ready to go back in after his friend.

"No Osborn accidently beamed him up to his jet along with Bullseye and Daken."

"Well at least he's safe for the time being" Carol stated.

"Wait someone's missing!" Danny suddenly piped up.

"He's right where's Mockingbird?" Peter said looking down into the mass of infected.

"I'll go look for her you guys go after Osborn and Clint!" he said shooting a webline from his wrist and swinging off the building.

Jessica grabbed Logan and Danny and flew after the retreating jet.

Carol hesitated watching as Peter swung away.

"Don't worry about him. He's a big boy he can take care of himself" Luke said noting the look of concern on her face.

"Now c'mon we got a plane to catch."

Hesitantly Carol grabbed Luke and flew after Jessica.

"Be careful Peter" She whispered to herself.

"C'mon Birdy where are you?" Peter thought as he swung over the infected.

He was starting to get worried now she had been missing for a while and with her having no super-powers she was vulnerable.

Just as he was about to think the worst he saw her run out of an alley heading towards the melee.

Breathing a sigh of relief he swung down towards her.

Then he saw the hunter, it was about 5 meters behind her, a distance the creature could probably cover in a single bound.

"NO!" he screamed mentally as he used his weight to speed up the momentum of his swing.

Barbra turned as she heard the snarling.

The hunter was already in the air careering towards her.

Suddenly she was thrown violently to the side.

Looking up from her position sprawled on the floor she saw the hunter hit Spider-man head on.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid" she scolded herself inwardly she should have been more alert.

She got to her feet intent on helping Spider-man but the masked hero threw the creature over his shoulders sending it crashing into a wall.

"Peter are you ok?" she asked worriedly.

"Oh I'm just dandy" he replied through strained breath.

Grabbing Mockingbird he shot a web line and swung into the air.

"You sure you're ok?" Mockingbird asked again, eyeing the bite mark on his left flank.

"Don't worry about me it's just a scratch" he replied.

She stared at him obviously unconvinced.

"Dammit Parker you're a bad liar!" Spider-man thought as he felt the pain in his side worsen.


	20. Zombies?

**H.A.M.M.E.R HQ, New York 4:50pm**

"What the hell happened here?" Bullseye gasped looking out of the planes windshield at the destruction below.

The plane touched down and the Dark Avengers single filed down the ramp a restrained Ronin in tow.

"Looks like a f***ing war zone" Daken stated surveying the damaged.

Osborn just stood seething.

"Who would have the nerve to attack me on my own turf" he growled through his teeth.

"Well, well looks like HYDRA finally grew some balls" Venom smirked as he picked up a bloodied HYDRA agent.

"HYDRA?" Osborn turned looking at the corpse in Venom's clawed hand.

"What where they after?" Bullseye asked looking at the other dead agents.

"We make purchase of a multimillion dollar weapon and HYDRA just happen to attack us? Seems to be a very big coincidence doesn't it?" Daken snarled.

"Well you won't be keeping that weapon for long bub!"

The Dark Avengers turned their heads towards the gruff voice and saw Ms Marvel and Spider-woman carrying the other Avengers land a few feet from them.

"Lunch is served!" Gargan growled green saliva dripping from his teeth.

"We don't want to fight, all we want is Ronin!" Carol said glaring at Osborn.

"And by the look of your HQ I'm guessing causing any more unnecessary damage would not be in your best interests either!"

Osborn considered her words he didn't like the idea of giving up the Avenger but he also knew that the situation at H.A.M.M.E.R required his attention.

Before he could reply 4 black S.U.V's pulled up.

Blackwatch soldiers descended from them, followed closely by Cross.

"What the hell happened here?" Cross asked as he approached them.

"That's what we are trying to establish" the Iron Patriot replied momentarily diverting his attention from the New Avengers to Cross.

"I see we have visitors" Cross stated looking at the other Avengers.

"We would have avoided being her if we could but Osborn has one of our men!" Iron Fist growled.

"It's been a long day Normy give Clint back and I'll promise to beat you up another day!" Spider-man said as he landed and placed Mockingbird on the floor.

"Oh great the rest of the happy days gang" Bullseye groaned.

"Spider you ok?" Carol asked as she saw him wince and place his hand on his side as he straightened up.

"I'm good" he replied "It's just a scratch."

"No jokes?" Carol said to herself "that's never a good sign."

"Daken untie Ronin" Osborn said irritated.

He'd decided he and his Avengers where in no condition to fight after the events of the past few hours.

"Clint are you alright?" Mockingbird asked looking at him worriedly.

"Don't worry about me the infected caused the most damage but it was infinitely more painful to listen to these guys prattle on."

"Looks like I'll make a comedian of you yet" Peter said jokily as Ronin walked over to join the other Avengers.

"Where the hell is Sofen? Surely a few HYDRA punks couldn't take that broad down!" Venom said looking around.

"Good question" Osborn said as he began to make his way to the remains of the reception room.

"Well I suppose our next move is to try and locate Deadpool we're gonna need his healing factor" Jessica said turning to her fellow Avengers.

"Easier said than done bub that lunatic could be anywhere!" Logan replied.

"AND BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!"

Everyone's head snapped round as a deafening explosion came from the lab.

"Who the hell?" Ronin said looking for the source of the voice.

Just then a very worn and bloodied looking Deadpool climbed out of the ruins.

"Well that was cool and explody!" he stated looking at his handiwork.

"I know I should be happy we found this guy but I really, really am not" Wolverine sighed looking at the crimson mercenary.

"Logan buddy!" Deadpool shouted happily.

"It's been ages! You still got your pointy things?"

"What the hell did you do, you Psycho?" Osborn said flying at Deadpool and pinning him to the ground.

Deadpool stared up into the glowing eyes of the Iron Patriot.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Osborn growled at him.

"The piece of plastic explosive I just placed on your armor" he smirked.

"What?" Osborn looked down to his chest to see the small bomb stuck to him.

He released Deadpool and stepped back glaring at him as he tore off the explosive.

"Just get out of here before I have you executed!" he snarled at mercenary, he was too tired to deal with the buffoon at this moment in time.

"_I don't think he likes us_" Deadpool's inner voice said sadly.

"Don't worry I'm sure he'll come round" Deadpool replied cheerfully.

Suddenly Moonstone appeared, she got gingerly to her feet staggering slightly.

"Jesus" Carol gasped as she looked at her Dark doppelganger.

Moonstone's arm was hanging at a sickening angle as if some great force had ripped it from its socket.

"I believe that's my queue to leave" Deadpool piped up as he began to walk away.

"Not so fast Wilson" Logan said stepping in front of him.

"Look Logan, although I love our little reunions I've got places to go and people to blow up! So can we catch up later?" Deadpool groaned.

"Listen Wade we need your help" Carol said fixing him with a stern glare.

"Me?" Deadpool asked clearly surprised.

"It's redesigning your costumes isn't it? I knew eventually you'd get tired and ask a talented artist to help you" he replied joyously.

"Damn he really is insane isn't he?" Cage said turning to Wolverine.

"Your just jealous because the voices only talk to me and you haven't been in one of Marvels multimillion dollar films yet" Deadpool replied in a tone of mock

hurt.

"We need to try and recreate your healing factor" Spider-man said ignoring Deadpools previous ramblings.

"Whoa dude, you know that always ends badly right? Just ask the Skrulls!" the mercenary replied raising an eyebrow.

"I don't have time to explain now" Peter insisted irritably.

"But to sum it up there's a that plague has just been released and we believe your healing factor may be the key to stopping it."

"What kind of plague? The sort that makes you want to go to the toilet all the time?"

"No, it effects peoples brains making them increasingly violent."

"What like Zombies?" Deadpool answered suddenly interested.

"Don't be stupid they are just sick."

"Dude if they are very angry and try to eat people they are zombies! Do you ever go to cinema?" Deadpool insisted.

"Fine call them what you want but the point is I need your DNA to try and formulate a cure."

"_Zombies?_" his inner voice piped up joyfully

"Yeah it's like someone looked into my head and pulled out my favorite fantasy!" Deadpool replied with equal joy.

"_What you do you think they'll be like?_"

"huh?"

"_As in do you think we are looking at Romero style or these new speedy zombies like in left 4 dead?_"

"That was a good game" Deadpool mused.

The New Avengers stared at Deadpool who seemed to be deep in thought.

"What's he doing?" Clint asked turning to Wolverine.

"Probably talking to himself" Logan groaned.

"Dr Sofen would you please explain what the f*** happened here?"

Deadpool and the Avengers turned to look at Osborn who was interrogating Moonstone.

"Some HYDRA agents led by that red freak over there attacked us!" She said pointing an accusing finger at Deadpool.

"So your Deadpool?" Cross said turning to mercenary.

"That I am" Deadpool replied giving a small bow.

"You mean to tell me that crimson idiot put you in that state?" Osborn growled.

"No, someone else was here" Sofen replied propping herself against what was left of a wall.

"Someone else?" Carol questioned.

She had fought Moonstone on a lot of occasions but she'd never seen her in this kind of state before.

"Oh yeah the guy in black jacket!" Deadpool suddenly piped up.

"Yeah, Sargent Matthews was a shape shifter" Moonstone confirmed.

"What?" Cross said shocked.

The man he'd met hadn't rung any alarm bells in fact he was exactly as Taggart had described him.

"I was helpless he was so strong and so fast I couldn't even follow his movements" Moonstone groaned as she attempted to slide her arm back into its

socket.

"Did you recognize him?" Osborn asked staring at her.

"No but as he threw me to the ground he told me to tell Taggart that Alex Mercer is coming for him" she replied quoting the shape shifter.

The news hit Cross like a sledgehammer.

"Mercer was here all along?" he thought In shock "in fact he was only 1 f***ing meter away from me!"

Osborn turned to Cross remembering the name from the conversation Taggart had, had over the phone.

"Captain is there something you've neglected to tell me?" he said fixing the Blackwatch leader with a stern stare.

"Who or what is Alex Mercer?"

"A problem" Cross replied grimly.

"You others" Cross said turning his attention to the New Avengers.

"I propose we continue our feud later, neither of our teams are in any condition to fight."

"Speak for yourself!" Venom snarled through his pointed teeth.

"Agreed" Carol replied as she and the other Avengers began to leave.

"Wade your coming with us" Logan growled begrudgingly.

"But I haven't been paid yet!" Deadpool protested.

"Wilson all we need is your DNA and I'm severely tempted to just take your head rather than the full you" Wolverine said his claws sliding from his knuckles.

"_We may as well go with them. There's 8 of them they'll make us come anyway_" his inner voice stated.

"Ok I'll come with you. Does this mean I get to be an Avenger?" Deadpool asked excitedly.

"Wilson your lucky your still breathing don't push your luck!"

"Awww c'mon Wolvie it'll be like old times. You and me 2 best-friends on a whirlwind big city adventure!" he said putting an arm over Wolverines shoulder.

"Wilson take your arm off me before I f***ing cut it off!"


	21. Keep Still!

**Taggart's office Undisclosed location New York 5pm**

Taggart sat in his chair reading Dr Raymond McMullen's assessment of Project Mother AKA Elizabeth Greene.

During the Idaho incident the RedLight virus; a previous version of what was now BlackLight was released into a small town to test its effects, of course

this had been a black op's mission so off nearly all records.

Elizabeth Greene had been among the inhabitants of the town but rather than succumb to the disease it bonded with her on a cellular level.

Until this day no one knew how or why it had happened, McMullen had devoted a large part of his life into trying to find out but had come up with nothing.

What they had found out though was the virus had mutated her giving her certain telepathic abilities, the most useful of which was her ability to

communicate mentally with other infected.

The plan had been to use her as a kind of shield if for some reason Blackwatch had to enter an infected zone they could use Greene to stop the infected

from attacking.

But she had proved difficult to control, 2 of her guards where currently in a mental asylum driven mad by her incessant voice in their heads.

Eventually McMullen had designed a strong neurological distorter that prevented her from entering people's minds but due to her incredible bond to other

infected it couldn't prevent her communication with them.

"It's too early to use her" Taggart said to himself placing the papers on his desk, laying back in his chair and closing his eyes.

A few minutes later the phone rang snapping him out of his comatose state.

Reaching out he lifted the phone and put the receiver to his mouth.

"Taggart here" he spoke into the phone.

"Colonel Taggart Sir, a group of Marines have just delivered Greene to our New York GENTEK facility" the voice said.

"Make sure she is sufficiently restrained and do not leave her alone for 1 minute"

"Yes sir"

"I mean it soldier! She make look calm and controlled but that woman is incredibly deceitful" Taggart insisted.

"We will not leave her alone for one second sir!" the voice assured him before he hung up.

"Cross will need to be informed of this" he said to himself picking up the phone again and dialing the number for H.A.M.M.E.R industries.

"We regret to inform you that due to a technical difficulty H.A.M.M.E.R industries is unable to take your call right now please call back later" the robotic voice

of a woman spoke down the line.

Slamming down the phone he began dialing Cross's emergency number.

"Colonel?" came the familiar gruff voice.

"Captain, Greene has been dispatched to help with the containment of the red zone" he said down the line.

"Sir are you sure that's wise? Greene might not be as docile as she seems, you know as well as I do how clever she is" Cross replied taken aback.

"It was not my decision Captain, it came from up high."

"Very well Colonel but there's something else you should know."

"What's that Captain?" Taggart questioned.

"Its about Alex Mercer."

**New Avengers Hideout, New York 5:10pm**

"You know what I do when I'm bored?"

"Wade please stop moving I'm trying to take a blood sample!" Spider-man replied exasperatedly.

"Well when I'm bored I like to whistle! It makes my neighbor's dog run to the end of it's chain and choke itself."

"Please sit still!" Peter said again, more irritably this time.

Deadpool looked at the wall-crawler for a moment.

"How did you ever become Marvels flag-ship character? I'm so much funnier than you!" he stated.

"Can you please just sit still for one minute!"

Deadpool had barely been with the Avengers 15 minutes and he was already driving them insane.

Logan was currently on his third bottle and the rest of the Avenger had been on the brink of gagging him so he would just shut up.

"Damn! I pity Pete stuck in there with him" Danny said turning and looking at the door of the makeshift lab

"How long do you think we'll have to keep him with us?" Cage asked following Iron Fist's gaze to the door.

"As long as is necessary and not a moment longer" Carol replied suddenly.

"You alright Carol?" Clint asked looking at her.

"I'm fine why?"

"You seem a bit on edge."

"It's just having that psycho here. I don't feel safe around him."

"Marvel's right" Logan said suddenly "Wilson may seem like an idiot but I assure you there's a big difference between insanity and stupidity we all need to

keep an eye on him."

"Whats that do?" The Avengers turned their attention back to the laboratory as they heard Deadpool's voice.

"Don't touch that!" came Spider-mans exasperated cry.

"Why is it turning black?"

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH IT!"

"Sounds like Peter is on the receiving end of the annoyance for once" Clint said chuckling slightly.

A few moments later a very tired and irritable Spider-man emerged from the laboratory followed by a very talkative Deadpool.

"Seriously I don't know what you science people see in experiments. They take so long and are as boring as hell!" the mercenary said as he pulled up a

chair and sat down.

"How did it go Spider?" Jessica said.

As Peter sat down, pulled up the bottom of his mask and began drinking a glass of water.

"I did all I could with him in the room" he replied grimly whilst glaring at Deadpool.

"Does that mean we are finished with him?" Wolverine asked, a slight eagerness in his voice.

"Unfortunately no I'm going to need to take more samples later. Because of his healing factor the samples don't stay fresh for long."

A knock at the door startled them all.

"I'll go see who it is" Carol said, as she was the only one in her civilian clothing and walking down the stairs to the first floor of the apartment.

A few minutes later she reappeared looking rather furious and holding a flat square box.

"What's that?" Mockingbird asked looking at the box.

"Pizza for a mister Pool!" Carol said giving Wade a deathly glare.

"I don't know how much longer I can take this" Logan growled as the mercenary began opening his meal.

"Well I'm going to get some rest" Peter said getting up.

As he turned to leave Carol noticed a large lump of webbing wrapped on his left flank, blood was seeping from it round the edges.

"You're hurt?" she said approaching him.

"It's nothing, one of those big things tagged me a little. I already told you it's just a scratch."

"Let me take a look before you go to sleep. I was in the army remember I've had medical training" she insisted.

"Honestly I'm fine" Spider-man replied.

The blond heroin looked at him unconvinced.

Quickly using her right hand she jabbed him lightly on the side.

Spider-man buckled instantly, due her to her inhuman speed Carol was able to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Your fine huh?" she said glaring at him as she supported him, while the other Avengers looked on worriedly with the exception of Deadpool who was too

busy eating.

Carol took him out of the kitchen and into the living room and sat him down on a chair.

"Look Carol I'm just tired let me sleep it off" Peter groaned as she took his mask off and began peeling away the web bandage.

She gasped as she peeled the last strand away.

The wound was reasonably deep and the blood that had set around it seemed to have a blackish tinge to it.

"When did this happen?" she asked looking up at him.

"When I went back for Barbra there was one of those things about to jump her, so I bit the bullet as they say" he said in a matter of factly kind of voice.

Carol got up and made her way back to the kitchen reappearing with a first aid kit and a bowl of warm water.

After she had finished she looked up at Peter surprised he hadn't made a sound during the whole procedure, he'd winced a few times but hadn't so much

as groaned.

"You took that very well" she said looking at him secretly impressed.

Being in the army she'd seen soldiers buckle under much less than that.

"Well when you don't have bullet proof skin you get used to it" he replied jokily as he pulled his suit over the now bandaged wound.

He seemed to have less trouble standing up now.

"As I said I'm gonna get some sleep" he said making his way towards his room.

"Goodnight Carol and thanks for the patch up" he said earnestly before entering the room.

Sighing Carol got to her feet and began heading back to the kitchen.

"Why did he have to be so careless?" she thought as she walked back into the kitchen.

Deadpool had finished his pizza and was currently in the process of cleaning one of his many firearms.

"How's the guy who's costume I ripped off?" Deadpool asked not turning away from his weapon.

"He's fine just tired" Carol replied coldly.

"Wow blondie with that tone of voice anyone would think you didn't want me here!" the mercenary smirked.

Rolling her eyes she pulled up a chair next to Jessica and as far away from Deadpool as possible.

"If only I'd been more alert" Mockingbird said looking down.

"He wouldn't have been hurt if I'd have just concentrated."

"Well it's a bit late now" Carol replied sourly.

"Whoa, theres no need to make her feel more guilty" Danny said looking at her.

"Your right" she said shaking her head "Sorry Barbra I didn't mean to be short with you. It's been a long and hectic day."

"That's ok" Mockingbird replied looking slightly melancholy.

"I know its early but I think I'm going to get some rest too" Carol said getting to her feet and walking out of the kitchen.

She didn't know why she had said that to Barbra in such an 'It's your fault' kind of tone.

But the thought of Peter getting hurt because of Barbra bugged her.


	22. Mercer Has Come Home

**The next day, New York, Safe House undisclosed location 9am**

"You have to go! They are onto you!" the blond woman said terrified.

"Get out of here I'll make sure they don't catch me" Alex replied.

"Be careful" the woman insisted anxiously, then she put her arm around his neck pulled him in close and kissed him.

"Now run Alex!" she said breaking away and looking into his eyes.

"Alex wake up!" A loud knock at the door followed by his sister's voice snapped Alex awake.

The sound had made him jump, instinctively he lashed out, a long blade extended from his arm slicing his bedside table in half.

"Crap" Alex thought as he got out of his bed and using his mind willed the large blade to disappear.

Ever since he'd absorbed those 2 hunters strange things had be happening to him he felt stronger, faster and what's more his ability to control his biomass

had increased dramatically.

The large crescent blade retracted to be replaced by his arm.

"Who were you?" he asked himself thinking back to the woman in his dream.

A few minutes later he emerged from the room clad in his usual jean's, grey hoodie and black jacket.

"So what's the plan?" Dana asked as he entered the kitchen and sat down.

"I find whoever did this to me and why they did it, then kill them!" he said looking at the bowl of cereal in front of him.

Dana looked at her brother although they hadn't been close she could tell he had a large conflict of emotions going on inside him, confusion, anger and

frustration seemed to be the most prominent.

"Do you know if I had a wife or girlfriend?" Alex suddenly asked still looking at the bowl in front of him.

Dana was taken aback by the question.

"Well if you did you never mentioned her to me. Why?"

"Last night I remembered something. Just a few flashes but it was me and a blond woman and whoever she was she was definitely more than a friend" he

finished, finally taking a mouthful of cereal.

"Well as I said you never told me you had a girlfriend but you did mention a woman named Karen who was your lab partner you said she was helping you."

"Looks like that's someone else I'm going to have to track down, even if it isn't the woman I saw this Karen may know more about what's going on" he said

getting to his feet.

"You've hardly eaten anything" his sister stated looking at the half-filled bowl in front of her.

"I don't really feel that hungry" he replied.

Alex didn't want to tell her the fact that the only way he could cure his hunger was by absorbing other living organisms, namely people.

"You should probably start at your flat" Dana said as she spun her chair round and rummaged in the desk behind her.

"Here's a map for you, I circled your building and wrote your flat number on the back."

"Thanks" Alex replied taking the map from his sister.

Turning he began heading for the door.

"Remember to come back in 1 piece!" He heard Dana shout as he shut the door behind him.

"Oh by the time this day is over I'm not gonna be the one in pieces" he smiled darkly.

**New Avengers Hideout New York 9am**

Getting up Peter stretched his left arm, feeling that the pain from his injury had lessened.

He then proceeded to put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt followed by his mask.

Normally he would walk around with his just his civvies but he didn't like the idea of Deadpool

knowing his identity the other Avengers seemed to have caught onto this as none of them had used his name since the mercenary had arrived.

Walking into the living he saw the individual who plagued his current thoughts.

Deadpool lay sleeping on a couch, as Spider-man drew nearer he saw the mercenary was cuddling his weapons.

"Psycho" Peter whispered to himself and shaking his head.

He then began making his way to the kitchen.

Pushing open the door he found Wolverine sitting at the table drinking whisky.

"Bit early isn't it Logan?" he said as he sat down.

The mutant merely grunted in response.

"You look tired. What time did you get to sleep last night?" Peter asked looking at the bedraggled state Logan seemed to be in.

"I decided to stay up keep an eye on him" Wolverine said using his hand to gesture towards the living room where Deadpool was currently sleeping.

"I'll be ok having a mutant healing factor has its benefits. Speaking of which how's that scratch of yours?" he said looking at Spider-man and raising an

eyebrow.

"It's fine I'm sure it'll clear up in a few days" Peter replied, instinctively putting his hand on the injury.

"You're a bad liar you know that right?" Wolverine said looking at him.

"I can smell the infection from here!"

"Look Logan don't tell the others I'll have a cure soon and due to my above human metabolism the effects of the virus won't begin until at least a few

days."

"And you think you'll have a cure by then?"

"Yeah I'm pretty sure I can do it" Peter replied.

In fact he wasn't at all sure he could make a cure in such limited time but he didn't need Logan going around panicking the others.

"NO NOT MORE CLOWNS!"

"Looks like your lab partner is awake" Wolverine smirked as he heard Deadpools voice.

"Ah crap" Spider-man groaned as he realized all the irritation from last night was going start all over again.

**H.A.M.M.E.R HQ, New York 10pm**

Cross watched as the black BMW with tainted windows pulled up into the courtyard.

A repair team had been working on H.A.M.M.E.R all night and although there was still a lot of work to be done at least now it looked like it was under

construction and not a war zone.

Taggart descended the vehicle followed by a short chubby man and began making his way around the many holes and pieces of wreckage towards Cross.

"You weren't joking when you said there was a f***-load of damage" he said as he made his way up the steps.

Reaching out Taggart gripped the large door handle but before he could open it Cross stopped him.

"Who's that?" Cross asked watching as the chubby man caught up.

"Captain Cross I'd like to introduce James Callahan."

"Captain it's a real honor to meet you" the man blurted out, he was obviously slightly intimidated by Cross's presence.

"What's your part in this?" Cross asked rather sharply having never met this man before he wasn't very trusting of him.

"Mr Callahan is a Techie, Captain" Taggart said before Callahan could reply.

"That's right Captain" Callahan replied taking back control of the conversation.

"I help design new weapons and other useful gear for Blackwatch and todays your lucky day because I've got some nice little toys for you" he said a little

over-enthusiastically and gesturing to the suit case he was carrying.

"New toys huh?" Cross said eyeing the case.

"Don't worry you're gonna love them" James said winking at Cross.

"We'll soon see" Cross thought to himself as Taggart pushed past him.

"After you Captain" Callahan said still looking a little nervous.

Cross turned a followed Taggart into H.A.M.M.E.R. Entering the debriefing room they found the Dark Avengers and their leader seated round a large table.

"Well Colonel I see you've finally shown your face" Osborn said glaring at him.

"I'm sorry Director but another matter required my attention" Taggart said returning his glare.

"I should f***ing kill you for the problems you've caused me" Osborn snarled looking at Taggart.

As he said this Daken got to his feet Claws extended.

In a flash Cross's side arm was in his hands and trained on Daken's head.

Daken blinked no matter how many times he'd seen it Cross's reaction speed was truly incredible, one second he was standing still the next he had his pistol

in his hand aimed at his head.

Callahan had taken cover under the table and was shaking uncontrollably.

"But" Osborn continued "that would be counter-productive as much as I dislike you, I'm sure I'm going to need your help dealing with this outbreak."

Daken retracted his claws and returned to his seat, likewise Cross holstered his weapon and returned to a more relaxed position.

"You can come out now James" Cross said looking down at the scientist.

Gingerly Callahan emerged from his hiding place under the table and took his seat.

"Well Director I'll tell you what we have so far" Taggart began.

A few minutes later Taggart had finished explaining to the situation of the outbreak and who Mercer was.

"I heard you had a run in with Dr. Mercer?" Taggart said looking towards the Dark Ms Marvel.

"Yes that son of a b**** had taken the appearance of one of your men."

"And apparently he took you down rather easily. We had anticipated that the virus would just kill him after a certain amount of time but what I've heard is

disturbing" Taggart finished putting a hand on his chin.

"It's Greene all over again" Cross said suddenly.

"Let's f***ing hope not!" Taggart replied.

This thought had crossed his mind, what if Mercer had become like Greene at first he'd been worried he would have become enhanced like Cross but that

situation now seemed like a godsend compared to this one.

"Greene?" Osborn questioned looking at Taggart.

"Greene is a project we are working on to control the infected. She is currently locked up safely in one of our facilities."

"So what's our next move?" Gargan said flexing his fingers.

"Well we need to get the Red Zone contained and we have to find Alex Mercer" Cross stated looking at Taggart.

"Let's just hope we can find him before the people up high decide to try using Greene" Taggart thought to himself.

"What about HYDRA?" Bullseye suddenly piped up.

"They will have to be dealt with" Osborn agreed.

"I propose we divide our assets" Taggart said looking at Osborn.

"Captain Cross and his Blackwatch will deal with HYDRA for you, if you find me Alex Mercer."

"Deal."

Although he couldn't see him Taggart knew that Cross was currently staring daggers at him.

Cross wanted to deal with Mercer but he'd get his chance soon enough.

"So does this mean we are gonna break out the big guns?" Bullseye chimed in again.

"Big guns?" Taggart questioned looking at Osborn.

"There are 2 of my team you still haven't met as they have been otherwise engaged" Osborn replied.

A beeping noise coming from Callahan's laptop startled them all.

"Sir" the scientist said looking at Taggart.

"You might want to see this" Callahan got up and connected his laptop to the large screen in the debriefing room.

It showed camera footage of a man in a black leather jacket entering a block of flats.

Karla snarled as she recognized the mans clothing.

"Well, well it looks like Mercer has come home" Taggart smirked.

"It doesn't look like I'll need your help dealing with Mercer after all" Taggart said turning to Osborn.

* * *

><p>Note: James Callahan is my own creation in case anyone wonders where he is from.<p> 


	23. Is That A Chainsaw?

**Dr Alex Mercer's Flat Block, New York a little after 10am**

Thanks to Dana's map it hadn't taken Alex long to find the building .

Pushing through the door of the building he entered a small reception.

Turning over the map he looked for his apartment number.

There it was written in Dana's spidery hand writing, number 78.

"Well, well Dr Mercer I thought we'd lost you."

Alex snapped his head in the direction of the voice ready for an attack.

Instead he saw a woman and a girl he guessed to be her daughter standing in a doorway to the left of him.

The women was about 5 and a half feet tall, was of African-American origin with long black hair and her daughter was a spitting image of her.

"You know how much rent you owe?" the woman asked obviously rather annoyed.

Alex's mind was blank just like most other people he couldn't remember this woman at all.

She fixed him with a glare obviously annoyed by his lack of a reply.

Looking past her he saw a name written on the door and decided to take a leap of faith.

"I'm sorry Mrs Heller I've had a very hectic week if you can give me the key to my room I'll go up and give you the rent money now" Alex replied.

The woman seemed to soften slightly.

"You've lost your key Mr Mercer?" she asked.

"Yes I'm very sorry. I think I must have left it in the office somewhere."

"Wait here" the woman said sighing as she re-entered her apartment.

The little girl stayed in the doorway staring at Alex.

Although she was only a child Alex felt uncomfortable under her gaze, it was almost as if she could tell something was off about him.

"We got a letter from daddy today" the little girl suddenly piped up.

"He says he's got to stay away for another month" she finished sadly.

Alex didn't really know what to say, he didn't know how his non-amnesic self was around children but this version of him had no clue what to say.

"Don't worry I'm sure he'll be back before you know it" he replied finally.

The girl seemed to brighten up at this and turned around and walked back into the flat.

A few seconds later Mrs Heller appeared carrying a small key.

"This is the spare" she said before handing it to him "so don't lose it!"

"I won't" Alex assured before taking the key from her.

"Oh and you better have that rent on my table before tomorrow or they'll be hell to pay!" she said looking at him sternly.

"Don't worry you'll have it this evening" Alex said before turning and making his way up a flight of stairs towards his apartment.

After a few minutes he arrived at apartment 78.

Reaching out, he slid the key into the lock and opened the door to reveal a small lobby.

Everything was immaculate no traces of dirt not even a missing fiber in the carpet he was standing on.

Although Alex couldn't remember much about his former self he never pegged himself as a tidy person.

"Looks like I've got a lot to learn about Alex Mercer" he muttered as he walked into what seemed like the living room.

The room was relatively big and had a very large window that was at least 2 meters in length that looked out onto the street below.

Looking round a photo hanging on the wall caught his eye.

It was of him and a blond woman his stomach leapt as he recognized her.

Taking the photo down he took a hard look at her.

She had an athletic build, blue eyes and looked to be in her mid-twenties.

Pulling the frame away he took the photo out to look at it more closely.

Turning it in his hands he noticed something was written on the back.

'Thanks for a wonderful day. Love Karen'

"So it was you in my dream" he thought as he put the picture in his jacket pocket.

Turning around he noticed a small desk facing out of the window.

He made his way over sat down and began rummaging through the draws.

A lot of the papers he pulled out where useless but then he found something.

"Project Zeus" he murmured as he read the title.

Looking a bit lower he saw a list of the head scientists on the project, the first name caught his eye.

Dr. Alex Mercer, Dr. Karen Parker, Dr. Raymond McMullen and Dr. Bradley Ragland(former).

The last name intrigued him, obviously this Dr. Ragland had either been drafted onto another project or perhaps Blackwatch had deemed him no longer

useful and taken him out.

Looking further down the page he found an address for the GENTEK laboratory the project had been spearheaded at.

"That's not far from here" he thought as he read the address.

Then a sound caught his attention, a low beeping noise seemed to be coming from an unknown location.

Placing the document on the desk he made his way towards the source of the noise.

He stopped in front of a wall to his left where the beeping was at its loudest.

Putting his ear to the wall he tried to pinpoint the exact location.

Then he realized what it was and jumped away from the wall.

The explosion was deafening and immensely strong, it threw Alex backwards straight through the glass window.

"Idiot" he thought as he flew through the air about 3 floors off the ground.

"Of course Blackwatch know where you live! You f***ing worked for them you basically handed yourself over on a silver platter!"

"I think that may have dealt with our problem" Taggart said as he looked at the picture of the burning building on the projection.

Cross looked on unconvinced.

"Tango is down sir" came the voice of the soldier who was wearing the head camera.

"Send in a cleanup crew and bring the body to the lab. McMullen wants to study it" Taggart replied into the walky talky.

"Wait, what's that?" the camera turned onto another Blackwatch soldier who was looking upwards.

Quickly the camera panned in the direction the soldier was looking.

Alex spun in midair to assume a standing position before crashing into the ground.

Turning he looked in the direction of the burning building.

"The woman and child never stood a chance" he thought as he watched part of the building cave in.

Alex knew he was a monster, he'd killed many people in the last few days without even feeling a tiny bit of remorse but never a child.

It was then he realized Blackwatch didn't care who they hurt or who they killed as long as they got to him.

"Mercer is still active!" the soldier shouted down the line as Taggart, Cross, Callahan and the Dark Avengers watched the camera feed as Alex turned

towards the soldiers.

"What is he?" Moonstone breathed as she watched the many injuries on Alex's body and face heal instantly.

"Open fire!" The camera shook slightly as the soldiers began shooting at him.

After about 30 seconds the soldiers stopped to reload but Alex was no longer where he had been standing.

"Where the f*** is he?" one of Blackwatch agents asked looking around wildly.

"Right here" came a low voice.

The camera panned just in time to see Alex slice one of the soldiers in half with his claws.

"Christ!" another of the soldiers screamed as he watched the two half's of his team-mate fall to the ground.

He didn't have time to raise his weapon before Alex was on him in a flurry of stabbing blades.

Turning Alex saw the last one, he seemed to be screaming something into a walky talky.

He began to run towards the man but was stopped as a burst of heavy gunfire cut him off.

Looking up he watched as the helicopter turned slightly to get into a better firing position.

Turning his head he noticed a petrol tanker parked a few yards down the road and began running towards it.

"Target is retreating" the soldier with the camera spoke down the line.

"Send in everything! I want that son of a b**** taken down now!" Taggart yelled into the mic.

"Target has stopped!" Everyone turned their attention to the video feed as Alex stopped in front of the tanker.

Gripping it in both hands Alex lifted the vehicle above his head and threw it at the helicopter.

The tanker struck it head on sending the aircraft crashing into the burning building.

The tanker followed exploding as the petrol came into contact with the fire.

"We need back up now!" the soldier screamed down the line.

Alex ran over and grabbed the man by the neck lifting him off the ground and stared directly into the camera.

"Taggart there is no army large enough to protect you from me! I'm going to find you and whoever you have helping you and when I do I'm going to

slaughter all of you!" he snarled.

"But right now I have to go to work" he finished smiling darkly.

The camera shuddered again and blood clouded the lens.

"He's going to work?" Cross said puzzled.

Then Taggart realized what he meant.

"He's going to the GENTEK facility!" Taggart cried getting to his feet.

"Wait not the same one Greene is being held in?" Cross asked horrified.

Taggart cursed inwardly he'd been so caught up in things he'd forgotten the lab that Greene was being held at used to be Mercer's workplace.

"Avengers I believe it's our turn to handle this" Osborn said getting to his feet.

"F*** that!" Bullseye chimed in.

"Did you not see that guy? An explosion didn't even faze him and he threw a f***ing petrol tanker like 50 meters in the air like it was nothing! There's no

way I'm going anywhere near him. Why don't you get Sentry to handle him?"

"Lester grow a pair and come kick this guys ass" Gargan said smiling.

"You know why we can't use Sentry yet!" Osborn said eyeing Bullseye.

"The six of us will be enough to take him down."

"Seven!" Cross said getting to his feet.

"Callahan let's see these toys of yours!" he said turning to the scientist.

**New Avengers Hideout, New York, a little after 10am**

"mfffmmm!"

"Shut up" Peter replied as he took another blood sample from Deadpool.

He'd resorted to tying and gagging the mercenary with his webbing to prevent him from touching and breaking things.

He didn't really have to gag him it was just he couldn't put up with another minute of the insane man's ramblings.

Taking the syringe of Deadpool's blood he ejected the red substance onto one of his slides and stared into the eyepiece.

It was then he noticed something was wrong the last sample he'd taken of the virus had been from the wound on his flank as he couldn't find where he'd

put the samples from the virus container.

"This is a different strain of the virus" he thought to himself.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by Carol bursting through the door of the lab.

"Spider we've got to go. The area near the station we were at yesterday hasn't been contained properly those things are running lose round the streets

attacking civilians" she stated.

Peter was torn he knew he had to help but this discovery of the new strain was disturbing, he had no idea how different it was from the sample they stole

from Osborn.

"Carol I'm really close to finding a cure for this thing. You and the others go and help the civilians and I'll be along as soon as I reach a place I can pause my

experiment."

He didn't like lying and he didn't like the idea of sitting in his lab while innocent people where getting hurt but he knew he was the only shot they had of

stopping this outbreak.

"Oh and take him with you!" he said gesturing to the restrained Deadpool.

Carol groaned and proceeded to free the mercenary.

"Hell yeah" Deadpool shouted as she pulled the gag from his mouth.

"I'm gonna go get ready!" he said getting up and stretching.

"Get ready?" Carol said looking at him with a mixture of worry and curiosity.

"Yeah you can't just go out there and fight zombies with normal gear you gotta use proper zombie killing weapons like in the movies!" he yelled as he ran

out of the lab.

"I'm going to go warn the others about our new ermmmm...team-mate" Carol said as she followed Deadpool out the lab leaving Peter to continue his

research.

"DEADPOOL IS COMING WITH US?" Logan almost screamed as Carol told them the news.

"Yes he may be useful I guess" she said rather doubtfully "and I think Peter may have wanted us to take him with us to give him some peace and quiet to

work in."

"Where is Deadpool?" Jessica suddenly asked looking around for the crimson assassin.

"He said he was going to get ready" Carol sighed.

"Get ready?" Ronin questioned.

"I've no idea what he meant, he's insane isn't he?" Ms Marvel replied.

"Well I'm ready to rumble!"

They all turned as Deadpool appeared from one of the rooms.

"Please tell me I'm dreaming" Mockingbird said putting a hand to her forehead.

"I really wish we were" Iron Fist sighed.

The crimson mercenary was clad from head to toe in an assortment of weapons from pistols to frying pans.

"Is that a chainsaw?" Cage asked eyeing the nasty piece of machinery on Deadpool's back.

"Of course it is you can't fight zombies without one. If theres one thing Army Of Darkness taught us is that the chainsaw is number one zombie killing

weapon!" he replied proudly.

"I don't know what you're on about and I don't really care" Carol growled "but you can't use weapons like that on the infected! They are still civilians."

"Damn you're that one person in all the films that wants to protect people even after they have been bitten! You know that character always dies right?"

Deadpool said looking at Carol and raising an eyebrow.

"Let's just go" Spider-woman groaned as she made her way towards the door.

**New York, The Red Zone, 10:20am**

15 minutes later they arrived on a rooftop a few meters from the border of the red zone.

They could see the barricades and the rows of Blackwatch and H.A.M.M.E.R agents patrolling the area.

"Ok after we go over the barricades we are going to be in shit city" Carol said surveying the fortifications.

"I suppose it would be faster if we split into teams" Ronin said.

A few of the others nodded in agreement.

"These are the teams" Carol said her military instinct taking over.

"Ronin you and Mockingbird take the East. Danny and Cage you take West. Jess you and me will take South and Logan you and…"

"NO F***ING WAY AM I PAIRING WITH HIM DANVERS!" Wolverine shouted visibly horrified by the idea.

"Don't worry I'll protect the big bad wolfy from the zombies" Deadpool said patting the chainsaw on his back.

"Logan I know you don't like the man but you have more experience in dealing with him than any of us here. And Deadpool where the hell did you get that

chainsaw from anyway?" Carol replied slightly frustrated.

"What do you think all these little pockets I have are for? show?" Deadpool replied in a surprised tone.

Although Logan didn't like to admit it, it was true he did have more experience dealing with the red psycho than anyone else.

"Fine" he sighed walking over to Deadpool.

"It's gonna be just like old times!" the mercenary said happily.

"Wilson I swear if you do anything to annoy me I will feed you to those things!"

"Here's the plan we go in there and meet back here in 1 hour. Anyone who isn't infected get them over the barrier. These so called Blackwatch aren't letting

anyone pass for fear of spreading the diesease" Carol said as she and Spider-woman began to fly away.

"I guess that means we are taking the fire escape" Danny muttered as he, Cage, Ronin and Mockingbird made their way towards the metal railings of the fire

escape, leaving just Deadpool and Wolverine standing on the roof.

Deadpool turned to follow them but was stopped by Logan's hand on his shoulder.

"Listen bub, Peter says we need you that's the only reason I'm even considering looking out for you but I tell you here and now, if you attempt to hurt us or

screw us over in any way, I assure you that I'll find a way for you to stay dead!" he said glaring into Deadpools white lenses.

"Don't get your panties in a whirl Logan, I have no immediate plans to screw you over" he replied.

"Fine, now c'mon lets go" Wolverine groaned walking towards the fire escape.

Suddenly he felt someone grab his wrists.

"What the hell are you doing Wade?" he snarled turning.

"I know a shortcut!" Deadpool replied smirking.

Before Wolverine could react the mecenary threw him off the roof.

"Three cheers for team healing factor!" Dead cried joyously as he jumped off the roof after Logan.

"_You know he's probably gonna be very pissed off at us for that right?_" his inner voice piped up.

* * *

><p>Note: The next update might be a bit longer than usual as i'm quite busy at the moment.<p> 


	24. I Need Him Alive

**GENTEK Facility, New York, 10:20am**

Alex ran flat out, all his attention focused on the laboratory.

He was truly surprised by his speed as he found himself overtaking cars in the street as if they were standing still, getting some shocked looks from the

drivers.

In hindsight he realized it probably wasn't a good idea to tell Taggart where he was going as this gave him time to raise the alarm but at the time he'd

been too angry and adrenaline fueled to care.

Running round a corner he saw the lab.

Blackwatch weren't stupid they'd been hiding the lab in the one place no-one would look, plain sight.

The building was huge and looked more like a business skyscraper than a chemical weapons testing facility.

The only thing that gave it away was the Blackwatch agents patrolling the area outside it.

Alex weighed up his options, he could try and find a way in silently or he could go in all guns blazing and destroy everything in sight until someone told him

what he wanted to know.

On his mental command his claws extended, he was going to go for the latter option.

He was about to reveal himself when he saw a soldier heading in his direction.

Quickly retreating back round the corner he checked to see if anyone was watching.

Fortunately he was in a side street and there didn't seem to be anyone on the road.

Crouching down he listened as the soldiers footsteps got closer.

As soon as the soldier rounded the corner he snapped upright reaching out with lighting speed and grabbed the man's neck lifting him off the ground.

With a sharp jerk of his wrist the man's neck snapped.

The tendrils sprung from his skin absorbing and instantly taking the shape of the soldier.

This whole process had taken less than 3 seconds Alex was even able to catch the man's rifle and radio before they hit the ground.

He took a few seconds to compose himself before making his way towards the building.

Although he was getting increasingly more efficient at absorbing biomass he still hadn't quite got used to the sensation.

Looking into the man's memories he realized that this soldier didn't have clearance to enter the building, his orders where to guard the outta perimeter.

"Looks like I'm going to have to find someone who can get in" he thought to himself.

The radio suddenly crackled into life "All soldiers, we have a report that project Zeus may be on his way to our location! All guards along the outta

perimeter are to be doubled."

As soon as the transmission ended doors on the building buzzed open.

"Perhaps warning Taggart wasn't such a bad idea" he thought as he realized all the doors where temporarily open and most of the guards had been

dispatched to the outside in-case he attacked.

A small smile crept across his face as no one noticed him enter the building during the commotion.

"Security level 3 is now in effect all entrances and exits have been sealed" came the robotic voice of the intercom as he entered into a reception room.

Looking over his shoulder he saw large metal plates slide down to cover the windows and doors.

Turning back he saw the receptionist looking at him worriedly.

"What's going on?" she asked standing up from behind her desk.

She was in her early twenties with long brown hair, the kind of generic person most employers would pick to run a reception.

"Which way are the laboratories?" Alex asked ignoring her question and walking towards her.

"I d-don't think y-your authorized to go in there. Who are y-you? I'll see if your n-name is on the logs"

she stammered clearly intimidated by way Alex had approached her.

Putting both palms flat on the desk in front of her, he morphed back into his normal self.

"My name is Alex Mercer. I used to work here" he said staring at her with his inhuman yellow eyes.

The woman froze a flicker of recognition and horror passed across her face as she realized who she was talking to.

"Where are the laboratories?" he snarled using his eyes to intimidate the woman.

He didn't want to kill her as she wasn't really part of Blackwatch but if she didn't tell him what he wanted to know he wouldn't lose any sleep over her

death.

"T-that w-way" she stammered gesturing towards a door to his left.

He knew she wasn't lying, one look at the fear in her eyes was enough to tell him she was too scared to lie to him.

"Thank you" he replied coldly before turning towards the door.

He didn't need to be subtle now, all the back-up this building could get was currently locked out.

As he reached the door he realized that a keycard was needed to open it.

He turned to look over his shoulder at the receptionist.

"Can you open this?" he asked still using the most intimidating tone he could.

"S-sorry, b-but like I said y-you need a-authorization" she replied.

Reaching out Alex grabbed the door and ripped it from its hinges.

"There's authorization for you" he said to himself as he tossed the door aside.

The scientists in the laboratory stood transfixed as Alex entered the lab.

Alex could tell most of them recognized him by the look on their faces.

Turning to the closest scientist Alex willed his claws to appear they snapped out of his hands and he began to approach the terrified scientists.

Stopping in front of the closest he looked at him dead in the eyes.

"Where's my office?" he growled.

"W-what?" stammered the man clearly confused.

"I said where is my office?" he said more menacingly and raising his claws.

"Th-that way!" the scientist replied pointing to a door on the opposite side of the room.

Alex pushed the man out of the way and made his way towards the room.

"It won't open. The whole building is on lockdown!" a woman began.

Alex ignored her, again he ripped the door from wall and tossed it to the floor.

The lab he entered was deserted and by the look of the equipment it was the laboratory for the higher ranking scientists.

He began walking past the rows of desks when one with his name on caught his eye.

Sitting down at the desk he booted up the computer that was seated neatly on it.

He had just began surfing through the files when the intercom went off again.

"Security deactivated. Threat has entered the building."

"Shit. I thought i'd have more time than that" he thought grimly.

Turning the pc on its side he then proceed to pull off the protective metal plate.

He didn't have time to be delicate, grabbing the hard-drive he ripped it from the computer and placed it in his jacket's inside pocket.

Getting up from the desk he began to go back the way he'd come.

"Alex!"

He stopped dead, the voice was quiet barely a whisper.

"Alex!"

There it was again, slightly louder this time.

"Help me."

He turned looking for the source of the voice.

"Please, help me" The voice was low, feral, almost seductive and definitely a woman's.

"Where are you?" he asked out loud.

"I'm on the next floor" the voice replied.

He started making his way towards a door that had a small symbol on it representing a stairway.

Alex knew he shouldn't stick around, his rational side was screaming at him to get out before the area was flooded with soldiers.

But there was something about the voice that almost had him hypnotized.

With the security deactivated he simply pushed open the door and began to run up the stairs.

Elizabeth Greene stared at the guards through the glass walls of her cell.

Under normal circumstances breaking out of this type of cell would have been easy she could easily toss vehicles around when she was fully amped but

Blackwatch where pumping a drug into the air of cell keeping her metabolism from firing up.

"F***ing McMullen!" she hated Blackwatch but not as much as she hated that man.

He'd been responsible for creating the drug that was currently suppressing her and the man who had conducted most of the experiments involving her.

Pushing a lock of red hair out of her eyes she looked nervously through the glass towards the door of the room.

It had been about 5 minutes since she had managed to contact Alex Mercer through her telepathy.

She was about to give up and try and find another way to escape when a knock at the door made her and the other guards look at the door.

"Who's there?" one of the guards asked as he approached the door gun raised.

"You've gotta let me in!" came a terrified voice.

"It's Mercer he's in the building and he just killed my squad. Now let me in before he finds me!"

"Jack is that you?" one of the other soldiers asked obviously recognizing the voice.

"Yes! Now open the f***ing door!" the voice replied urgently.

One of the soldiers swiped his keycard and the door slid open and the soldier stumbled in.

As soon as he entered the room Elizabeth knew it was Mercer she could feel the infection flowing from him like a torrential river.

"What happened?" one of the guards demanded observing the new-comer.

"We were responding to reports that Mercer had entered the labs when we got there he jumped us and before I knew what had happened he'd killed them

all!"

"What did you do?" one of the others asked.

"What the f*** do you think I did? I ran like hell" the man replied.

"Is there any way to lock that door down?" the man said gesturing to the door he just came through.

Greene smiled slightly as she realized what he was doing.

"Yes. Why?"

"Are you retarded? I just said Mercer is out there and you're asking why we should lock it down?"

"Jeez one second, I'll lock the door" one of the soldiers said.

Moving to the door he punched in a code and a mass of metal plates slid down to barricade the door.

"There! No one is getting in now."

"Or out" Greene thought looking at soldiers.

Suddenly Alex sprang into action his disguise melted away and his claws extended.

Alex dispatched the guards so quickly she barely had time to blink.

Letting one of the corpses slide from his hand he made his way towards her cell and stopped in front of

the glass door staring at her with his yellow eyes.

"Who are you?" Alex asked looking at the woman in front of him.

He guessed she was in her early to mid-twenties and was stunningly beautiful.

Her red hair fell across her face untidily and a pair of emerald green eyes stared at him from beneath.

The woman got to her feet and began walking towards him.

The clothes she was wearing where skin tight, obviously some kind of lab suit.

As she stopped in front of him he realized just how beautiful she was she was perfectly toned and those hypnotic green eyes seem to have some kind of

hold on him.

He unconsciously took a small step back, taken by surprise.

She looked at him curiously before replying.

"I'm like you" she stated putting her hand against the glass.

"Please get me out of here" she said fixing him with those glowing green eyes.

Greene observed him as he prepared to strike the glass.

Her stomach lurched with anticipation at the idea she would soon be free.

He struck the glass and to her surprise the shock wave from is punch caused the whole containment unit to shatter.

She looked at him as shards of glass fell around her.

"Yes, he will make a good pet" she thought.

Reaching out with her mind she commanded him to destroy the wall and make a way out but to her surprise he didn't move, frowning she tried again.

Nothing he simply stood their looking at her.

"Whats wrong?" he asked observing her warily.

She couldn't understand it, every single infected she had ever encountered had been easy to manipulate but it was almost as if this one couldn't even hear

her commands.

Then it hit her, she had only said that she was like him earlier so that she could spark his curiosity and manipulate him into freeing her but was it actually

true? Was he actually separate from the hive mind?

"Who are you?" Alex asked again, her lack of speech was beginning to make him nervous.

She walked past him over to the dead guards and bent down.

"Listen lady you better start talking before.."

He stopped talking as he watched her touch one of the corpses.

It began to twitch and writhe violently, the skin split and the bone and muscle began to reform until standing in front of them was a fully formed hunter.

Instantly recognizing it Alex took on an aggressive stance.

The hunter glared at him and snarled, extending its claws.

Then to Alex's shock the woman put her hand on the hunters head and stroked it as if it was a well-loved pet.

The hunter growled slightly but retracted its claws.

"What the hell are you?" Alex snarled he was starting to think that it had been a bad idea freeing her, watching as the other three corpses morphed into

hunters.

"Don't worry they won't hurt you!" the woman said turning back and smiling at him.

"And I already told you what I am. I'm like you!"

"Really? Because when I touch people they don't tend to turn into giant mutant freaks" he replied, looking warily at the hunters.

"I don't mean in that sense, I mean we are both the product of Blackwatch's experiments" she replied laughing slightly.

"Come with me and you could have this city" she continued, approaching him.

Alex backed up slightly he still couldn't work out if this woman was friend or foe and he didn't like where this conversation was leading.

He looked at her and realized that it had been a mistake as the green eyes began to work their power on him.

He froze as she put an arm around his neck.

"Come with me" she whispered in his ear.

Something was wrong he could feel it.

It was as if every fiber of his being wanted to go with her but this one little voice in his head was screaming "NO! Run away! Run away now!"

He pulled away from her quickly.

"I just freed you so we aren't going anywhere until you give me some answers!" he growled.

Greene cursed inwardly she couldn't manipulate him or seem to seduce him although her charms had temporarily been working on him as she'd seen his

eyes glaze over but something had pulled him back.

She didn't have time for this.

Before he could react she hit him in the head as hard as she could, sending him crashing into the metal floor.

The hunters reacted instantly, jumping on him and striking him in unison until he went limp.

Greene walked over to his unconscious form and motioned for the hunters to move aside, they obeyed instantly allowing her passage.

Bending down she kissed him briefly on the lips before getting back to her feet.

"Take him!" she said looking at Alex and then to one of the hunters.

The beast moved over to him and using its mouth lifted him off the ground.

"Be careful! I need him alive" she said as she observed the hunters teeth ripping into his jacket.

The creature loosened its grip and Alex slumped in its mouth.

Elizabeth walked towards a wall on the opposite side of the room and stopped in front of it.

"Get me out of here!" she said, telepathically commanding the remaining hunters to create an exit.

The creatures leapt at the wall and began tearing a way through.

The hunters Blackwatch had designed had been derived from her ability to create them but theirs where weaker as they needed to keep them

manageable, these ones on the other hand where fully fledged killing machines and made light work of the wall.

Stepping out into the air she looked down at the courtyard below.

Most of the Blackwatch units had been recalled into the building to find Alex but there were still a few guarding the entrance.

A low whirring noise made her look up as a large black jet arrived and began hovering above the courtyard.

"What do we have here?" she muttered a thin smile creeping across her lips.

* * *

><p>Note: As I said this update was a bit longer as i'm busy with other things hopefully i'll be back on track from here on. See if you can spot the little Splinter Cell quote in this chapter.<p> 


	25. My Arm!

**New York, The Red Zone, Northern side 10:20am**

Grabbing an infected by the head Logan slammed it against the ground.

Although he and Deadpool hadn't met many infected, he'd discovered that if struck hard enough in the head it would still knock them out which as an

Avenger beat killing them.

Of course Deadpool had sulked for a good ten minutes upon discovering he wouldn't be able to use his chainsaw on them.

So far they had managed to escort about a dozen people out of the red zone.

Logan had sent Deadpool into a building to check for survivors while he took care of the infected outside he didn't trust the mercenary not to kill them if he

stayed to fight.

A few minutes later he reappeared carrying a woman.

"How many more people do I have to save before I get my Avengers badge?" he groaned as he walked out of the building into the street.

"Has she been bitten?" Logan asked eyeing the nasty wound on her leg.

"Dude if she had been bitten my costume would be a little bit redder and I wouldn't have brought her out" Deadpool said much to the horror of the woman

he was carrying.

"Well we have another ten minutes before we have to meet up perhaps we should make our way back and keep an eye out for other survivors" Wolverine

said looking up the street.

"Ok but you're carrying the broad" Deadpool said throwing the woman into Logan's arms.

They began to make their way back up the street when they heard a scream.

A man and a girl emerged from one of the side streets followed in hot pursuit by a hunter.

"Shit" Logan cursed inwardly as he saw the creature remembering how one of them had tossed Ms Marvel around quite happily during the fight at the

station, he hadn't counted on encountering one of them so soon.

"Can I chainsaw that thing?"

"Wilson, be my guest."

Excitedly taking the chainsaw off his back the mercenary revved it up and began running at full pelt towards the hunter, passed the terrified man and

daughter.

The hunter stopped in its tracks clearly confused by Deadpools behavior.

The assassin stopped in front of the hunter and swung the chainsaw wildly towards its front limbs.

It glanced off one spraying blood over the pavement.

The hunter shrieked in pain and jumped backwards as Deadpool took another swing at it.

"Wolfy you go do the hero thing while I have some fun with this Resident Evil rip off!" he shouted as he attacked the hunter again.

"Follow me!" Logan yelled at the man and the girl and while carrying the woman he ran towards the exit of the red zone.

He knew Wilson would be fine, he was practically un-killable he was just worried about not being able to find him after he came back.

The mercenary was very unpredictable and could take off at any moment for the stupidest of reasons.

He escorted the survivors out of the red zone and began running back to where he'd left Deadpool.

Suddenly the hunter came tearing past him sending Wolverine crashing into the floor.

As he got up he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire, looking up he watched as Deadpool ran past following the hunter firing at it with a fully automatic

smg.

"Wilson what the hell are you doing? If its running let the thing get away we'll deal with it later!" he shouted after him.

"No way! That son of a b**** took my arm and swallowed my chainsaw!" Deadpool replied, briefly turning to show Wolverine the bloody stump where his

arm had once been.

"Damn it!" Wolverine cursed as he got to his feet and began to chase after them.

**GENTEK Facility, New York, 10:25am**

The jet hovered for a few moments before finally landing in the courtyard.

The Dark Avengers followed closely by Cross descended and began to make their way to the Blackwatch squad stationed outside the entrance.

"What's the situation?" Cross asked as he drew closer.

"We believe Mercer is in the building, we are still waiting for conformation from the strike teams" one of the soldiers replied.

"Ok you know all you need to know about Mercer lets go in and take him down quickly" Cross said turning to the Avengers.

"Sounds fun" Gargan leered as Venom began to take over.

"Who's that?" Daken said looking up at the building.

Following his gaze up the wall Cross saw a large hole had been made in the side about two floors up.

He could just make out a figure but he couldn't tell who it was.

Suddenly it moved, jumping from the building it slammed into ground.

"Be ready it looks like Mercer has come to us!" he said as he pulled out a large truncheon like object.

The weapon was one of Callahan's so called toys, although he hadn't been paying complete attention to the scientists mumbo jumbo he had gathered that

it delivered a very large electrical shock disabling electrical impulses causing paralysis.

As the figure landed he realized it wasn't Mercer and his stomach lurched as he recognized the ferocious green eyes glaring at him.

"Greene?" he growled returning her gaze.

"It's been a long time captain" she said smirked.

"Not long enough. I'd hoped that McMullen had you drugged up enough you'd have forgotten everything."

Greene grimaced slightly at his name and Cross realized he'd hit a nerve.

"I'm guessing your still Taggart's pet?" she snarled.

"And I can see you still don't know when to keep your mouth shut!" he snapped back.

"Who are these clowns?" she said gesturing to the Dark Avengers.

"Looks like they are dressed up for a costume party!" she finished, eyeing them warily.

"Ms Greene isn't it?" Osborn suddenly spoke.

"Oh look the tin-man can talk" she growled back at him.

"My dear you are outnumbered why don't you make a long day a little shorter and surrender?" he finished, shrugging off her comment.

Elizabeth smiled at his statement he thought she was outnumbered? Foolish human nothing could be further from the truth she had control over every

infected in the city.

"Well I'm afraid I have no intention of surrendering or going back into some Blackwatch glass bowl" she replied.

"Then the hard way it is" Gargan sneered stepping forward.

"I'd hoped you'd say that" Greene replied as she snapped her fingers, suddenly four more figures dropped from the building.

The hunters landed next to Greene, they eyed the Avengers darkly, snarling and bearing their teeth.

"Hunters?" Cross breathed looking at the creatures surrounding Greene.

"I believe you remember my pets from our last encounter in Idaho" Greene said smiling back at him.

"Shit" Cross cursed inwardly, he remembered Greene's version of the hunters they were faster, stronger, smarter and overall superior to their Blackwatch

counterparts.

"Be careful" he said turning to the Avengers "these creatures are stronger than the ones we fought at 5th Avenue."

It was when he turned back he noticed the body clutched between one of the hunter's jaws.

"Mercer?" he gasped surprised.

"Yes, he was kind enough to let me out of my cell" Greene replied.

"You killed him?" Cross asked observing the unmoving body.

"Of course not he is of great interest to me. I'm going to need him once this city becomes my kingdom" she said turning to look at Alex.

"What possible interest could you have in Mercer?" Cross asked coldly.

"Every kingdom needs a king not just a queen" Greene replied running one of her slender hands over Alex's cheek.

"And if that doesn't work out he'll make a very powerful pet" she finished, pulling her hand away.

Suddenly tendrils sprung from her body and writhed their way into the ground.

"Stop her!" Cross shouted realizing what she was about to do.

During the Idaho incident Greene had used a similar technique to infect everything around her including the ground itself.

The Blackwatch soldiers cocked their rifles and began emptying their magazines in Greene's direction.

With a flick of her wrist large spikes and tentacles erupted from the ground ensnaring and impaling the soldiers.

"Jesus" Daken gasped as he jumped to one side to prevent a large spike from impaling him.

"We've got to take her out quickly" Cross said as he too moved to avoid injury.

"The longer she stays out the stronger she'll get" he finished and began running towards her.

Using his inhuman speed he dodged her spikes and tendrils and began to close the distance.

The first hunter leapt at him but was quickly engaged by Moonstone who hit the creature in the head sending it sprawling back to the ground.

The second one launched itself at him but a strike over the head with Callahan's toy sent it writhing to the ground.

He lashed out trying to hit Greene across the face with the stick but she ducked and attempted to strike him in the flank but he dodged and stepped back.

He knew she was stronger than him back at Idaho he'd seen her throw tanks around like playthings but with his inhuman speed and military training he

knew his reaction time was far faster, he'd defeated her with it the first and he could do it again.

He moved in again, quickly jabbing his fist into her leg.

If she'd felt the blow she didn't show it, she retaliated quickly her fingers morphed into thin blades and she began stabbing at him with breakneck speed.

Fortunately her attack patterns where predictable and he was able to keep up and block her attacks without too much strain although to anyone watching

all they would have seen was a blurry flurry of fists and blades.

He quickly threw himself backwards as her claws veered close to his face.

Putting some distance between him and her, he allowed himself a quick look over his shoulder.

"Any f***ing time you guys feel like helping out would be great!" He began, then froze as he surveyed the scene over his shoulder the soldiers Greene had

killed earlier had mutated into hunters and were currently engaging the Dark Avengers.

"Looks like it's just you and me" she said smiling at him.

"Not quite" came a low voice, followed by a scream as Alex wrenched himself from the hunter's jaw dislocating it in the process.

"I don't like being used" he snarled, deadly intent written across his face.

Before she could react he was already in front of her, his left arm had become a large crescent blade.

He spun using the momentum to swing the blade round and slice her along her lower chest.

She stumbled backward shocked at his speed, not giving her a moment to catch her breath he struck her across the face sending her crashing to the

ground the force shattered the pavement beneath her.

Using his other arm Alex struck Cross in the chest sending him flying backwards as well.

Getting to his feet Cross watched as the two infected attacked each other furiously.

"Well two is company, three is a crowd" he thought "I may as well let them kill each other."

Turning away from them he drew his pistol and fired two shots into the closest hunter.

Using her claws Greene quickly swiped Alex across the stomach and pushed him back.

He stopped about a meter from her, both of them watched as the wounds they had inflicted on each other healed instantly.

"We'll be at this all day" she panted.

"Fine by me" Alex replied launching himself back at her.

Greene was starting to panic now he was at least as strong and fast as she was but he seemed to be able to heal faster and didn't seem to be tiring at all.

It was then she realized she'd gravely under-estimated his abilities, the only reason she'd been able to knock him out the first time must have been the

element of surprise.

Dozens of tendrils erupted from her skin snapping and lashing towards her assailant but to her horror he did the same thing.

This confirmed what she had suspected, he wasn't a brainless monster he was like her independent from the other infected and capable of independent

thought.

Their tendrils clashed slicing, lashing and lacerating each other.

Using her telepathy she screamed out to the other infected.

"HELP ME!"

Using his bladed arm Alex sliced through her tendrils and raised his arm to finish her off but he stopped as a symphony of snarls began to erupt from the

surrounding area.

Turning to the entrance of the courtyard he could see a mass of people running down the street towards them.

"My god, she must have called to every infected in New York" he thought horrified.

Greene seized this opportunity to kick his legs from beneath him.

Getting back to her feet she ran out of the courtyard and scaled the closest building.

"No! you're not getting away!" he growled getting to his feet he ran up the building and began to chase her.

"Now what?" Bullseye shouted as he shot two arrows into the approaching horde.

"We have to try and hold them off as long as possible so we can get as many people evacuated from the lab as we can" Cross replied as he smacked a

hunter across the chest with the stick.

The creature buckled instantly as the huge electrical charge coursed through it.

"Sometimes I wonder if you consider anyone expendable at all captain" Osborn said as he kicked a hunter off him and blasted it with his repulsers.

"My men will die to stop this but those people in there are innocent not only scientists but also receptionists and other staff" he replied.

"Has anyone ever told you that you care too much captain?" Osborn asked blasting another infected as it leapt at him.

It was then that Cross realized how different he and Osborn were.

Although he'd killed many people they had only ever been threats to Blackwatch and its affiliates.

He never considered himself a monster, a killer yes but not a monster.

He was a professional and did what was asked of him without hurting as many people involved as possible, but this man didn't seem to care who died he

fitted Cross's definition of monster.

A large force knocked him to the ground tearing him from his thoughts.

Looking up he watched as the hunter continued plowing its way through the infected and Blackwatch alike.

"What the hell is that?" he thought getting to his feet and observing the object the hunter had caught in its jaw.

"Buuuullleeettts!"

Cross and a few of the Dark Avengers ducked as a volley of gunfire veered in their direction striking the surrounding infected sending them sprawling to the

floor.

"Deadpool?" he growled staring at the man standing a few feet in front of him.

"Hi there vaguely familiar Blackwatch guy!"

"Come here to steal something else?" Cross asked as he picked up his weapon.

"Actually the exact opposite I've come to get something back that I was very attached too!"

"_Nice pun he'll laugh when he realizes what you were talking about!_" his inner voice snickered.

"What could we have possibly taken from you?" Cross asked genuinely surprised.

"Oh, not you. I'm talking about smiley over there" Deadpool replied gesturing towards the hunter and then pointing to the stump where his arm had once

been.

Cross looked at the bloody stump then at Deadpool, he'd been so caught up he hadn't even noticed that the mercenary's arm was missing.

"You get it now right? I was very attached to it!"

Cross rolled his eyes at the man, but he had to admit he was impressed that Deadpool was still standing even after having sustained such an injury.

A snarl made him turn, a man who must have been in his late forty's jumped towards him, his white clouded eyes betraying the blood-lust that was

coursing through him.

Cross lashed out shifting his weight and using his right leg to deliver a round house kick towards the man's head.

To his surprise he never made contact and watched as the man fell harmlessly to the ground.

"Looks like we meet again huh bub?" came a gruff voice.

"Logan you made it!" Deadpool piped up happily.

"You again?" Cross growled, remembering the feeling of the mutants claws lodged in his shoulder.

"Looks like team healing factor is complete!"

"Team healing factor?" Cross said turning to the mercenary and raising an eyebrow.


	26. We Just Want To Talk

**New York, The Red Zone, Southern side 10:29am**

"We better head back, times almost up" Jessica said turning to Carol as they flew over an apartment building.

"Let's regroup see what the others found and then head back out" the blond woman agreed.

"It's strange."

"What's strange?" Carol asked turning to her dark haired teammate.

"Well when we first started searching over this area we were seeing about three infected every street."

"Yes, so?"

"Well do you see any now?"

Looking down Carol noticed she was right, there were no infected on the streets at all.

"It's like they all just disappeared" Jessica continued landing on an adjacent roof.

"I hope they haven't escaped the quarantined area. If they got into the whole of Manhattan we'd be overrun in days" Carol replied grimly.

"Who's that?"

Carol turned following Spider-woman's gaze to a building a few blocks away.

She watched as the figure scaled the wall with incredible speed, her first thought was that Peter had finished with his tests and had come to help out but

this person didn't have Spider-man's fluidity.

The figure stopped as it reached the roof of the building and turned as if looking for something.

"I suppose we'd better check that out" Jessica said eyeing the stranger suspiciously.

"Yes, if the infected have found a way to move across buildings like that then the containment procedures that have been set up won't hold them for long"

Carol replied as she began to fly towards the unknown person.

Alex snapped his head round franticly, he'd been chasing Greene for a few minutes but had lost sight of her when she'd scaled the building he was

currently standing on.

"Damn it! Where did she go?" he thought grinding his teeth.

He was angry, no angry was the wrong word, he was livid.

Greene had used him, she'd got inside his head and used him, just like Blackwatch.

He stood there seething, he was going to find her and he was going to kill her.

Earlier when they had fought he realized that she had underestimated him, the shocked look he'd seen pass across her face when he sliced her proved it.

A flash of movement caught his eye.

Snapping his head in its direction he caught a glimpse of Greene as she dropped down from a nearby building into an alleyway.

"Gotcha" he thought darkly as he began to take a run up to jump to the next building.

Suddenly two figures appeared in front of him, stopping him in his tracks, he glared at them menacingly.

He didn't know who they were but he'd seen the team Cross was working with and these two women wore costumes vaguely similar to them.

Jessica looked at the man in front of her although she couldn't make out much of his features due to the hood she could see some black hair poking out

from beneath it and a pair of fierce yellow eyes staring back at her.

"Looks like the infected have found way to put their new found abilities to other uses" she said turning to Carol.

"Well Spider did say something about the possibility they could mutate" Carol replied also watching the man in front warily.

"Get out of my way" Alex suddenly snarled, he didn't have time for them his only concern was Greene.

Both heroes took a small step back, none of the infected they had encountered had been able to speak, snarl and growl yes but not speak.

"You can talk?" Jessica replied shocked.

"Get out of my way now! or I swear I'll rip you to pieces" Alex replied gravely taking a step forward and forming the familiar large claws over his hands.

"Listen we just want to talk" Carol said eyeing the claws and slipping into an attack position.

"I don't have time for this" Alex growled as he launched himself at the women.

Under normal circumstances he would have at least begun to hear them out but as it stood it he was still seething with anger about Greene so he lept at

the chance to vent his anger on some of Cross's team.

Both women jumped back barely dodging his attack, in fact he managed to graze Jessica's cheek.

Landing on her feet Spider-woman quickly wiped a trickle of blood from the laceration on her face.

"Damn that was fast" she thought "If I'd waited a split-second longer to move he'd have taken my head off."

Carol landed beside her by the look on her face Jessica could tell she was thinking the same thing.

"We just want to talk!" Carol insisted again, trying to reason with the attacker but Jessica knew it was no use by the look the man was giving them she'd

seen it before in another person's eyes it was the same look Logan got when he went into one of his animalistic rages.

Suddenly he was in front of them, her eyes widened slightly in surprise, she hadn't even seen him move, one minute he was a few meters in front the next

he was so close she could feel his hot breath on her face.

He lashed out hitting her with the back of his hand while at the same time shifting his weight and using the momentum from the blow to kick Carol in the

lower chest.

Both heroines had just enough time to put of a defensive position with their arms before his blows struck but barely.

As she hit the ground Spider-woman was just glad he'd used the back of his hand, had he used the business end those claws would have sliced straight

through her.

Alex watched as they began to get back to their feet.

"Shit" he cursed inwardly, they weren't going to go down easily.

He was fairly sure he could kill them but it wouldn't be quick, they were going to put up a long fight and he didn't have time, he had to deal with them

quickly so he could catch up to the woman who had played him like a f***ing violin.

The blond one was the first on her feet.

"Obviously she's the more durable of the two" he thought.

Carol pulled herself upright her side was burning from the blow she hadn't been expecting that level of strength so she hadn't blocked hard enough.

"Crap I think my ribs are broken" she thought putting her hand to her on her flank.

In a blur Alex was standing in front of her, his hand snapped out and he grabbed her by the throat.

Instinctively her hands came up to try and pries his hand from her neck but his grip was like a vice and the blow to her stomach had weakened her.

Jessica watched in horror as long tendrils sprang from the man and began stabbing into Carol's skin.

Reaching out her hand she hit the man with a venom blast.

The green surge of bio-electricity surged out striking the man in the back forcing him to drop Carol.

The tendrils retracted instantly, Alex gritted his teeth as the electrical charge coursed through him but he'd already done the damage.

"Listen" he said turning to the dark haired woman "I've severed two of that woman's arteries so you have a choice, you can either stay here and try and

stop me and that woman will surely die or you can get her some medical help. The choice is yours."

Jessica looked at the man then at Carol and knew he wasn't bluffing Carol was losing a lot of blood.

She got up and walked round the man towards her friend and picked her up.

"Good choice" Alex said grimly.

Jessica turned too glare at him venomously before flying away.

"Women" he sighed darkly as he turned to continue his pursuit of Greene.

**New Avengers Hideout, New York, a few minutes later**

"Jesus" Peter breathed laying back in his chair.

The new virus strain was what he had feared, some insane person had made the virus a lot more virulent, it made the one they stole from Osborn look like

the common cold.

What made things worse was he had no idea how much time he had left before he became one of the many snarling creatures wandering around the red

zone.

He'd been so close, the samples he'd got from Deadpool would have cured the old version of the virus but now he was going to have to come up with

a completely new way of applying the cure so that everyone's immune system would accept it.

"GOD DAMN IT!" he yelled, getting to his feet he picked up one of the many microscopes and threw it against the wall.

"What the hell was that?" Peter thought shocked as he watched the broken glass and the remnants of his experiment fall to the floor.

He sank back into his chair, it was unlike him to just vent anger out like that.

It was only when he looked down at his hands he realized they were trembling.

"It's happening" he thought putting his head on his forehead, increased aggression, involuntary nerve stimulation caused by the virus entering the spinal

cord which also caused one hell of a headache.

What made matters worse was the fact that once the virus had entered the spinal cord it travels up to the cerebral cortex and when it reaches the brain is

when the virus takes over.

He knew he only had about 24 hours left max before the infection took him completely and that was only because of his above-human healing factor.

Gritting his teeth he used all the willpower he had to force his hands to stop trembling.

Suddenly a very distraught looking Spider-woman burst into the lab blood staining her yellow and red costume.

"Peter you've got to come quick! Its Carol she's hurt" she said taking off her mask worry evident in her green eyes.

Peters stomach lurched all thoughts of the virus were suddenly swept from his mind.

He quickly followed Spider-woman out of the lab into the kitchen where Jessica had laid Carol onto the table.

"What happened?" Peter gasped as he saw the tears in her costume and the many lacerations on her skin.

"We were looking for survivors when we ran into this guy. At first we thought he was just another one of the infected but he sure as hell wasn't by the

way he moved" Jessica replied darkly thinking back to her encounter with the man.

Peter began peeling away parts of her black costume being careful not to pull off any part that may expose to much of her.

His eyes widened as he saw the extent of the damage, her left flank was a nasty shade of purple as if she had been hit by a large blunt force.

"We have to move quickly" Peter said turning to Jessica.

"From the look of that injury on her side at least three of her ribs are broken. Did she cough up any blood when you were flying her here?"

"I don't think so" Jessica replied straining to remember the entire trip.

"Well that's a good sign, it means that none of the ribs have penetrated her lungs" Peter replied slightly relieved.

"Bring me some towels, a bowl of warm water and a needle and thread. We have to close up these wounds."

Hurriedly the dark haired heroine left the room leaving Spider-man to examine Carol.

A few minutes later she returned to find his hands placed over certain wounds.

"This was too close! Two of these wounds are direct injuries to her arteries I'm applying pressure to stop the flow of blood but we have to close them up

quickly before she bleeds out" Peter replied a drip of sweat forming on his forehead.

"So he wasn't bluffing" Jessica thought, horrified that the man could have done something so brutal and remain so cool about it.

"What do you want me to do?" Spider-woman asked placing the equipment on the table next to the passed out women.

"I'm going to take my hands away, as soon as I do I need you to instantly place your hands where mine were."

Jessica nodded to show she'd understood and as soon as Peter removed his hands she placed hers over the wounds and pushed down gently feeling the

warm liquid attempt to push out from between her fingers.

* * *

><p><strong>Note<strong>: This update is a bit shorter than usual as I wasn't completely happy with the other part and I decided to do some modifications.


	27. How Are You Feeling?

**GENTEK Facility, New York, 10:29am**

Karla struck the hunter in the chest as it crashed down on top of her, using its weight to pin her to the ground.

The creature roared in pain, it lent over her coughing up blood and bile.

Using both feet Moonstone kicked the monstrosity off her but not before something else fell from its mouth landing on the floor next to her.

"Looks like he was a little peckish" she thought to herself looking at the severed arm lying in a pool of blood next to her.

She began to get back to her feet when another hunter launched itself at her, forcing her back to the ground to avoid its serrated teeth.

Moving her weight to her left side she threw a punch towards the creatures ribs but to her surprise the beast reached out grabbed her fist and pinned it

to the pavement above her head.

Using its other hand it slammed it other claws into her other hand holding it to the ground.

It was then she realized she was fighting one of the new hunters as when she looked into its eyes she could see they were different from the others.

Although still dark and glazed there was a spark of intelligence behind them.

"No!" she screamed inwardly as she realized the creature had her completely at its mercy.

It leaned in fixing her with those cold dead eyes and baring its teeth prepared to bite.

Karla closed her eyes waiting for the pain of the hunters teeth tearing into her skin but it never came.

Opening her eyes she looked up at the creature.

The long thin blade of a katana passed straight through one of its eyes and carved its way out of the creature's opposite temple.

Following the sword to its owner she let out a groan of annoyance and kicked the hunter of her why did it have to be him that saved her? Why couldn't it

be anyone but him?

"This changes nothing I'm still going to use you as a lab rat" she said glaring frostily at Deadpool.

"Oh well I gave you a hand the least you can do is give me one" the mercenary replied gesturing to his severed arm on the floor next to her.

"Get it? Because I lost my hand" he continued obviously pleased with his pun.

The Dark Ms Marvel sighed and resisting the urge to hit the red buffoon she picked up his arm and threw it to him.

"How much longer do we have to keep this up?" Logan asked breathlessly, turning to Cross.

"The last evacuation helicopter should be here soon we just have to keep them busy a while longer" Cross replied equally breathlessly.

A whirring sound from above confirmed his statement as the helicopter came into view it made its way over the melee below and stopped hovering over a

makeshift helipad the Blackwatch soldier had managed to throw together during the fight.

"Go, go, go!" one of the Blackwatch soldiers yelled as the terrified scientists and other staff made their way from the building into the helicopter.

"Now can we go!" Daken snapped turning his head to Cross.

"Yes, get an extraction ASAP" Cross replied as he threw a charging infected over his head.

"Wilson we need to get out of here too?" Logan said turning to look for the mercenary but to his surprise the red ninja had disappeared.

"Damn it where is he?"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist Wolvy I'm right here!"

Wolverine turned to see Moonstone and Deadpool (who was still trying to screw on his severed arm) fighting their way towards him through the mass of

infected.

"Finally! What took you so long?"

"I was having a job getting my hand back so Moonstone kindly helped me! You might even say she was helping me with a handj.."

"I swear if you finish that sentence I will break every bone in your scrawny little body" Moonstone snarled.

"Well I suppose it's a good thing you interrupted had I finished that joke this FanFiction probably would have had to go from a T to an M" Deadpool replied

thoughtfully.

Logan ignored the crimson assassin's ramblings and turned to look for a way out.

"This way!" Following the direction of the voice he saw Cross motioning him towards Osborn's jet.

Although he didn't like the idea of walking straight into the lions mouth the prospect of staying here surround by hunters and infected wasn't that

appealing either.

"C'mon!" he said turning to Deadpool and running towards the plane.

"What they are helping us now?" Deadpool asked surprised.

"This story has more inconsistency than a Family Guy episode" he finished as he followed Logan towards the jet firing of random shots into the infected.

"Why are you helping us?" Logan asked turning to Cross and glaring suspiciously as he entered the jet.

"I owe you for taking that infected down earlier plus I'm here to kill infected and protect all non-infected whether I like you or not does not come into it"

Cross replied returning his glare.

**New Avengers Hideout, New York 10:29am**

Laying Carol on her bed Peter surveyed his handiwork.

He'd patched her up as best he could and he knew she was tough enough to pull through.

The main thing that troubled him was the assailant; he'd seen Carol shrug of blows from the Sentry but whoever did this had caused a lot of damage in a

small amount of time according to Jessica.

He knew the virus augmented base skills, strength, speed and stamina but not to the extent it could cause someone to become strong enough to inflict

this sort of damage on a superhuman like Carol.

"So you didn't recognize the guy?" he asked turning back to Spider-woman who was standing in the doorway looking worriedly at the unconscious figure

on the bed.

"Nope, wasn't one of the regular bad guys" she replied solemnly.

"You're sure he was an infected and not just some super-powered psycho? You said it yourself the guy could talk which hasn't been the case with the rest

of them" Spider-man asked placing his hand on his chin thoughtfully.

"It's possible I guess but there was something about his eyes, he had the same feral look the other infected had" Jessica replied thinking back to the

attacker.

"What about the others? Did they find anything?"

"Crap" Jessica said out loud remembering that they were all supposed to meet on the roof and that was 5 minutes ago.

"Pete I got to go I'll be back as soon as possible!" she said as she ran out of the room towards the kitchen window.

"What that was about?" Peter thought as he follow Jessica's retreating figure.

His attention was brought back to the woman on the bed as a low groan escaped her lips.

Moving closer he realized one of the stiches he had applied had come lose and a thin trickle of blood was flowing down her left flank onto the white bed

sheets.

"Dammit" he thought picking up the first aid kit again.

Although he wasn't a doctor or even had medical training, he was a scientist so he knew a lot about how the body functioned and after a lifetime of

receiving damage from various villains he'd learnt how to patch up most wounds.

Reaching down he began to re-attach the stitch, he felt her flinch as he tugged on the thin thread.

"Peter?"

He looked up quickly to find her blue eyes staring at him.

"Wow she's tough" he thought "she's lost so much blood and yet a few minutes later her eyes are already open."

"Hey Danvers good to see your still among the living. I thought I was going to have to find another woman to stare at me icily and not laugh at my jokes"

he quipped turning back to injury.

"Have my hands always been so small?"

Peters head snapped back up to look at her confusedly.

She had lifted both her hands into the air and was staring at them intently.

It was then he noticed the glazed look she had "Looks like the loss of blood didn't leave her completely unaffected" he thought realizing that she was

hallucinating.

Slowly he moved to her side and gently took her hands in his and brought them down to her sides.

"Listen Carol you have to get some rest you took quite a beating" he continued, although he knew that trying to reason with her in this state would be

impossible.

"You know what Logan? you were right" she continued.

"She really is hallucinating badly" Peter thought realizing that she now thought he was Wolverine.

"Although he isn't exactly orthodox he's been there for all of us when we needed him. It was wrong for me to have treated Peter like I did when he came

back."

"Don't sweat it Danvers" he murmured as he lent over her to pull the duvet up to her shoulders.

"You were also right about me having feelings for him I was just too stubborn to admit it to myself."

Peter froze, he'd been in the process of tucking the duvet round her shoulders when she'd said this.

He looked down straight into her sapphire eyes completely in shock by what he'd heard.

"She's rambling it must be the blood loss talking" he thought trying to make sense of what she'd just said.

She blinked and the glaze in her eyes lifted slightly but was still there.

"Peter?" she asked again.

"Yeah it's me how are you feeli.."

He didn't have time to finish his sentence because her hands shot out from underneath the covers and wrapped around his neck pulling his lips into contact

with hers.

He froze as he felt her warm lips move against his, he was too shocked to kiss her back.

Peter sat hunched over her unable to move due to Carol's inhuman strength forcing him to stay locked in the embrace not that he would have ended it

even if he could move.

Suddenly the noble side of him kicked in "She's lost a lot of blood and she's vulnerable, stop taking advantage of her!" he scolded himself mentally.

Gently he began to pull away, Carol groaned in protest trying to keep her lips locked with his and tightening her grip around his neck.

In her current state he knew he could force her off but he didn't want to cause any more damage.

Pulling back slightly he managed to detach his lips "Carol listen to me you have to get some rest you're not thinking straight."

"Don't leave" she whispered as she leaned forward attempting to pull him into another embrace.

"I won't leave" he assured her as he gently pushed her back onto the bed.

* * *

><p>Note: Sorry this chapter has been such a long time coming but as Uni has started again I don't really have a lot of spare time i'll try an update as often as I can.<p> 


	28. Let Me Do The Talking

**New York Red Zone, Meeting Place 10:39am**

"Where the hell is everyone?" Iron Fist asked turning to Cage.

"No idea but in these circumstances being 10 minutes late is pretty good really" Luke replied looking up to try and catch a glimpse of Ms Marvel or Spider-

woman.

"Perhaps they ran into some trouble?" Ronin suggested following Luke's gaze.

"Where did Carol and Jess head out to again?" Barbara asked as she nonchalantly kicked a bit of mortar of the roof.

"Southern side I think" Danny replied as he lowered himself to a sitting position.

"What about Logan and Deadpool?" she continued.

"Northern side" Luke replied before Iron Fist could open his mouth.

"I guess we wait another few minutes and then split up to look for them?" Clint said as he rearranged one of the many knives on his belt.

"Sorry I'm late!"

Their heads snapped round to see Spider-woman land a few meters behind them.

"No problem we're just glad to see you're still breathing" Mockingbird replied letting out a small sigh of relief.

"Where's Carol?" Danny asked noticing the blond heroine's absence.

"We had a run in with a guy in a hoodie who pretty much put us both on our ass's. Carol got out a lot

worse than I did and he didn't even get a scratch on his jacket" she replied subconsciously rubbing the area where Alex had stuck her.

"He had medium length black hair, was wearing denim jeans, a grey jumper and a black leather jacket over it right?" Mockingbird suddenly interjected.

"Yes how did you know?" Jessica asked surprised and slightly suspicious Barbara knew what the man looked like.

The rest of the Avengers turned to Mockingbird.

"Back at the station when those Hunters broke away. You remember Jess? I motioned to you that I was going to pursue them just before you got

pounced."

"I remember" Spider-woman replied thinking back to the station.

"Well after I'd followed them I came across that guy tearing into them like some kind of animal. He tore them to pieces with his bare hands and used tendril

like things to get rid of the bodies" she finished watching as the other Avengers took this in.

"That's definitely him" Spider-woman confirmed "he tried to use that tendril thing on Carol severed a lot of her arteries in the process."

"Dam, is she ok?" Clint asked anxiously.

"Yeah, Peter seems to have patched her up pretty well."

"How did you escape?" Danny asked getting to his feet.

"Well to be honest it was like he couldn't really be bothered to kill us. He kept on saying that we were a waste of time and to get out of the way. It seemed

like he was looking for someone as he kept trying to look past us. We dodged his first few attacks but he landed a few blows and winded both of us, next

thing I knew he was ripping into Carol. I struck him with a venom-blast to make him stop and when I went to attack him again he said he'd sliced her

arteries and that I could either stay and try to stop him or get Carol help before she bled out" Jessica finished, looking slightly dejected.

"Well that explains why you're late but what about Logan and Deadpool?" Client asked turning his attention to the street below to see if he could spy the

duo.

"They still haven't returned?" Jessica replied worriedly.

**Osborn's jet flying over the Red Zone, 10:39am**

"What do you plan on doing with our 'guests'?" Gargan snickered turning from Osborn to Wolverine and Deadpool who were currently firmly secured in the

holding cell of the plane.

"At this point in time I don't really care" Osborn replied solemnly.

"Ms Marvel wants Deadpool as a test subject which I will be happy to oblige too and I'm going to give Bullseye the job of finding out if Wolverine really can

die or not."

"Told you it was strange they were helping us!" Deadpool said trying to turn his head to look at Wolverine.

Both of them where fastened to the back of the cell by 3 manacles 2 round their wrists and one round their neck.

"Would you have preferred to have stayed down there with the Hunters and infected?"

"To be fair, according to the guy who's costume I ripped off, I'm immune to the virus anyway and you gotta admit cutting up infected beats being tied to the

back of Ozzy's jet so yeah! I would have preferred it!" Deadpool replied in a slightly disappointed tone.

"You may be immune to the virus but I'm pretty sure you aren't immune to getting ripped into small meaty chunks and eaten!" Logan snapped back

silencing the mercenary.

"Ah touché!" Deadpool replied thoughtfully.

"I have a proposition for you."

They both looked up straight into the cold eyes of Captain Cross.

"Oh really? I don't know if you noticed pretty boy but the last proposition you made us didn't turn out so well" Logan replied using his head to gesture to

the shackles.

Cross ignore him and continued "You may not want to admit it but we are all in the same boat. If we don't put a stop to this we are all dead. So what

would you say we combine our resources?" he finished still keeping his face stern and unreadable.

"What shampoo do you use? your hair always looks so silky smooth" Deadpool piped up, looking at the assassin with a visage of mock awe.

"Do you ever shut up?" Cross sighed glaring at the mercenary.

"Anyway I wasn't talking to you! I was talking to your clawed friend here" he finished fixing Wolverine with a stern stare.

Before Logan could reply another voice interrupted him.

"Captain may I have a word with you?"

Cross turned to see Osborn approaching him, his iron visor lifted away to reveal his face.

"Of course Director" Cross replied.

"Please this way" Osborn said gesturing to a door leading out of the holding cell.

Even before they entered the room Cross could tell Osborn was ticked off.

"Captain those men in the cell are criminals and we do not associate with criminals."

"Criminals or not I've seen them fight and to be honest I'd prefer to have them on our side helping to stop this infection rather than turning up at the most

annoying of moments and hindering our progress" Cross insisted.

"I don't think you quite understand your position. You don't get to make that call! I'm the head of this citiy's security not you!" Osborn snapped back raising

his voice.

"It's a sad day when one of America's finest cities appoints a violent psychopath as its head of security" Cross snapped back also raising his voice, right

now he didn't care about Blackwatch's deal with H.A.M.M.E.R he'd had enough of this man's arrogance and lack of professionalism.

"This coming from a Blackwatch assassin?" Osborn retorted ignoring the man's previous comment.

"Listen I may not be a good guy or even a nice guy but I know the difference between killing in service and unnecessary murder and somehow I don't think

you do!" Cross shouted back.

He watched as Osborn balled one of his metal gloved hands into a fist and Cross's hand went instinctively to his side-arm.

"Give me an excuse Osborn! I f***ing dare you" he growled glaring into the rage filled eyes of the man in front of him.

"You know what captain?" Osborn suddenly said relaxing his stance and taking on a more cheerful tone.

"You've got balls to stand up to me and under anynormal circumstances you'd be dead by now but we both have a stake in this and I'm sure your skills

would be more useful if you were alive."

Cross also relaxed bringing his hand back to swing by his side.

"I understand what you're saying but that other team are criminals and a national threat to the U.S and its interests, as Director of H.A.M.M.E.R I will give

them no less than life in prison" Osborn finished.

"Do not mistake me Osborn! I don't give two shits for those people but don't you think we could use the extra man-power at the moment? Who knows after

this has all blown over some evidence may be found that could implicate the criminals in this out-break giving you the go ahead to use any means

necessary to apprehend them" Cross finished, annunciating the last few words.

Osborn stared back at the man "maybe I had been too quick to judge him" he thought.

"What do you propose we do?" he asked looking at the soldier.

"We try to convince those two in there and their team-mates to come to H.A.M.M.E.R that way we can keep an eye on them" Cross replied thoughtfully.

"How do we do that?"

"Let me do the talking Director" Cross said as he began to make his way back to the holding cell.

"I spy with my little eye something beginning with…"

"Wade shut up!" Logan barked back at him.

"But this is boring there's no inflight movie or anything!" Deadpool sighed.

"Why don't you help me come up with a plan to get out of here then?" Logan said irritation evident in his voice.

"Oh I don't think that will be necessary" Cross replied as he entered the room.

"Osborn give you a good telling off did he?" Wolverine asked smirking slightly.

"On the contrary we came to an understanding" Cross replied coolly "We would like to make you an offer you and your team come to H.A.M.M.E.R and work

with us to curb this infection and you and your so called Avengers get to save lives."

"Not a chance" Logan growled back.

"Ok let me put this another way. I heard what Deadpool said earlier about him being immune to the virus and considering most of our scientists are being

evacuated or causing us problems" the image of Dr Mercer popped briefly into his head as he said this.

"The man who discovered that he is immune must be reasonably clever and I'm sure that his research into curing this would go a lot faster with say

H.A.M.M.E.R and Blackwatch's Labs at his disposal?" Cross watched as his words sank in.

"Not a chance" Logan growled back again but there was an edge of doubt in his voice.

This was good enough for Cross, as soon as doubt was implanted in someone's mind it would spread faster than a virus ever could and Cross was

prepared to take full advantage of this human weakness.

"Well why don't you tell the others and think it over? In the meantime is there anywhere we can drop you off?"


	29. Password

**New York Red Zone, Meeting Place 10:45am**

"We can't wait any longer we've got to go look for them" Clint said walking towards the fire escape. "Besides according to web's Deadpool could be the key

to this, we mustn't lose him."

"Wait" Spider-woman suddenly spoke turning her head up to the sky.

"Is that Osborn's jet?" Luke asked squinting against the sunlight.

As the jet drew closer they realized it was.

"Ah crap" Ronin said drawing one of his katana's from its scabbard.

The other Avengers prepared themselves similarly as the jet lowered itself until it was hovering next to the building.

"Well here we go again" Mockingbird growled as a hatch on the plane opened and a ramp struck the roof.

"Hello fellow Avengers!" Deadpool shouted joyously as he descended the ramp.

"Deadpool? What the hell are you doing in there?" Spider-woman asked shocked.

"It's a long story that involves lots of action, served arm's and a lots of jokes" the mercenary continued as he jumped from the ramp to the roof.

"Where's Logan?" Luke demanded still not relaxing his stance.

"I'm right here" Wolverine said as he walked down the ramp after Deadpool followed by Cross.

"What's going on?" Jessica asked eyeing Cross warily.

"What's going on is I just saved two of your team-mates from becoming the main course on the infected's menu" Cross said glaring back at her.

"There seems to be less of you then usual" he continued shifting his attention to the other Avengers "where's the spider guy and the blond woman? On a

date?"

"I don't think that's any of your business" Clint snapped back his hand still holding his sword tightly.

"Or perhaps it's that your ranks have been decimated slightly?" Cross continued "I still say we'd be stronger together than divided."

"I already told you we have certain policies involving cold blooded killers" Jessica growled.

Cross turned to glare at her again, it was then he noticed how battered she looked.

"Got in over your head with an infected did you?" he asked a small smile gracing his lips.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't you who sent the guy in the jacket to attack us" Jessica snapped back quickly.

Cross's expression instantly changed from vague amusement to a more serious one.

"So you bumped into Mercer huh?" he replied, more to himself than Jessica.

"So you did send that psycho" Spider-woman growled, anger rising in her voice as she remembered what Mercer had done to Carol.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but Mercer is a rogue piece in this game, he's not with anyone" he replied solemnly.

"I'm afraid I'm going have to cut this little gathering short. I have things that need attending to" Cross concluded turning and making his way back to the

ramp.

"I hope you'll consider my offer" he said earnestly, briefly stopping to turn to Wolverine.

"Wait what's going on here? Who are all you people really? And who is Mercer if he's not with you what's his part in this?" Jessica shouted she wasn't

going to let him leave until he'd filled in some of the blanks.

"I'll tell you once you take me up on my offer" he shouted back as the jet took off.

"His offer?" Danny asked turning to Wolverine and Deadpool.

"I'll explain when we get back" Logan replied gruffly as he began making his way to the fire escape.

"Hey guys do we pass a DIY shop on the way back? I need a new chainsaw" Deadpool chirped as he began to follow the Avengers.

**New York, Red Zone 10:45am**

"Shit" Alex cursed inwardly.

He'd been running non-stop to try and catch up to Greene since his run-in with the two women.

"It's no use" he thought as he slowed to a stop in one of the alleys "She's gone!"

He felt frustrated whoever that woman was she must have had answers.

With a roar he picked up one of the large industrial bins next to him and threw it as hard as it could into the air.

He then proceeded to vent his frustration on the wall next to him.

After a few minutes he stopped punching the wall which had been reduced to a mound of bricks and dust.

Something fell from his jacket pocket to the pavement below, making a small clunk as it hit the tarmac.

"The hard drive" Alex thought as he bent down and picked up the computer part.

In the midst of everything he'd completely forgotten about it.

"I better take this back to the flat" he thought turning the device over in his hands.

Putting it back in his pocket he turned on his heels and ran up the nearest building.

Once he reached the roof he began running and jumping across the roof tops as fast as he could.

"I must have run a lot further than I thought" he pondered as he reached the flat about half an hour later.

Walking in the front door of the complex he made his way to the safe house.

"Who's there?" came Dana's cold voice as he rapped the door with his hand.

"Well considering I'm the only one who knows about his place, who do you think it is?" he asked a small note of sarcasm creeping into his voice.

The lock clicked and the door opened to reveal a slightly irritated looking Dana.

"Well if you'd been captured or Blackwatch had followed us here, it could have been them!" she said standing aside so Alex could enter the flat.

Walking over to the couch Alex sank down into it, he wasn't tired whatever had happened to him seemed to make him incapable of becoming fatigued.

He was simply trying to put together some of the pieces of the puzzle he'd found this morning.

"Well did you find anything?" Dana asked standing in front of him.

"Wow not even a 'how are you brother?' or 'I hope you aren't hurt?'" Alex replied smirking slightly and looking up at Dana.

She rolled her eyes but softened "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, don't ask stupid questions" Alex replied his smirk growing wider.

"You're a jerk you know that right?" Dana replied bending over and punching him playfully on the chest.

"Well to answer your previous question yes, I did find something interesting" he said as he retrieved the hard drive from his pocket.

"I pulled this from my computer at a Blackwatch facility" he explained handing her the device.

"Well let's see what's on this bad-boy" Dana said as she headed towards the study.

Getting back to his feet Alex followed his sister into the study.

It was quite a small room with no windows and was currently lit by a single naked light bulb.

He spied Dana sitting at the opposite end of the room clicking away on the keyboard of a computer.

He moved closer and stood behind Dana as she plugged the hard drive in.

The screen suddenly lit up and a message appeared.

_"Please enter your personal password."_

"I supposed it's too much to hope you remember the password to your computer?" Dana said turning to her brother.

"Yep, not a clue" he replied glaring at the screen.

"Well you'll have to give me a few hours but I should be able to crack it" Dana stated as she turned back to the computer.

"You can hack it?" Alex asked rather surprised.

"Alex I didn't get a Master's in computers and not know how to hack, anyway what we are doing was basically my job at one point."

"You have a Master's in computing?" Alex replied still a little surprised.

"Oh right, I keep forgetting that you have this amnesia thing" she replied still not looking away from the screen.

"Yeah, I have a Master's in computing and I worked for a company that designed computer protection software. When they came up with a new piece of

software it was my job to try and see if I could break it" she replied clicking away on the keyboard.

"So you were paid to hack into things?"

"Pretty much."

"Wow you're not just a pretty face!" Alex replied the smirk creeping back onto his face.

Dana paused what she was doing to turn and glare at him before continuing her work.

"So how long is this gonna take?" Alex questioned leaning over the back of her chair.

"It'll take as long as it takes Alex! This isn't like just breaking into pc, this has software I've never even seen before. Looks like the government have their

own software designers that don't work on the consumer market. Why don't you go and watch TV or something?" she replied rather irritably.

Alex realized that he would just be in her way being there so he decided to go sit back down on the couch and continue trying to put the pieces of the

puzzle together.

* * *

><p>Note: Yeah, this chapter is slightly shorter than the others as I had to rush it.<p> 


	30. The Idaho Incident: Part 1

**H.A.M.M.E.R HQ, New York 12:20am**

Cross sat at the desk in the room Osborn had provided reading the preliminary report on the morning's events it hadn't been pretty telling Taggart that

both Mercer and Greene had escaped.

He'd gone on a four letter word rant before leaving to speak with Osborn at which point Cross had decided to retire to his room.

"So Mercer broke into his own office" he muttered to himself as he placed the document back on the desk.

There were a few things about the report that didn't add up the first being that Mercer had purposely freed Greene.

Although he knew Dr. Mercer had never had the opportunity to study Elizabeth (as this job had gone to McMullen) he'd seen nearly every document on her

so why when he knew how dangerous she could become did he free her intentionally? Was he really that far gone that he wanted everything and

everyone to burn around him?

The second thing that didn't so much trouble him as his curiosity, was the fact that multiple people including a receptionist seemed to be under the

impression that although he knew where he was he didn't seem to have any knowledge of the layout of the building but how was that possible when the

man had worked there for years?

"Something's not right" he said out loud as if hearing the sound of his own voice would confirm it.

A small beeping sound attracted his attention to the bed behind him.

It was coming from the military uniform he'd worn that morning when he'd arrived back at H.A.M.M.E.R he'd instantly taken a shower after breaking the new

to Taggart and changed into a white shirt and denim jeans he'd then spent the rest of the morning going over the battle reports much to Moonstones

annoyance as she had wanted to 'unwind' after the battle.

Getting to his feet he made his way over to the suit and pulled the small black mobile out of one of the pockets.

"Cross here" he spoke into the receiver.

"Robert, I've made a breakthrough! It's incredible! Beautiful! Amazing!" came an incredibly excited voice from the other end of the line.

"Oh boy" Cross thought to himself, only one person ever called him Robert as it annoyed the hell out of him.

"Why don't you get to the point McMullen?" he replied rather testily.

"Of course, of course" the Doctor continued.

"It's about the Red-Light performance enhancer. I've finally found a way to force its compatibility with every biological make-up."

"Meaning?"

"Don't you realize what this means? You remember the amount of procedures you were put through to force your compatibility with Red-Light?" the Doctor

asked still not losing any enthusiasm.

Cross flinched at the memory of the months of experimentation he'd endured to become strong enough to become Blackwatch's assassin.

"How could I forget Doc."

"Well I've found a way of making people like you with a simple 1 hour procedure!"

Cross blinked in disbelief.

"People like me in just one hour?" he replied dumbfoundedly down the line.

"Well, more or less" the Doctor continued.

Cross noticed his tone lowered to a more serious one after he'd said that.

"More or less? What does that mean?" he asked puzzled.

"Well you see the procedures we performed on you was to make your body a more welcoming environment for the virus while allowing you to maintain

your sanity and keep you from transforming into a mutated creature. By doing this the virus molded you to its own image. In this case as you well know it

raised all your abilities to a super-human level as well as slowing your ageing process almost to a halt. What I wouldn't give for eternal youth these

wrinkles are so unflattering."

"Doc please you're telling me things I already know! Get to the god dam point!" Cross growled down the line.

"Let me finish I'm trying to make a point!" McMullen snapped back.

"Then make it!"

"As most of your missions required you to be swift and silent the virus focused most of its attention on your speed and reaction rate. It's Darwin's theory of

evolution in action when you think about it. A being needing a certain attribute to better survive, thus through chance such as a random mutation or in

your case a selective one the organism evolves to be more efficient in a certain aspect."

"Ok but what does that have to do with Red-Light?" Cross asked exasperatedly.

"Well using an outside variable I did what I once thought was impossible and changed the virus itself to evolve to fit the host. Although this was successful

in giving nearly anyone super-human attributes it leaves the virus no more room to mutate and evolve."

"So what your telling me is that although you can put Red-Light into anyone now the abilities they gain will not improve or change?"

"In a nutshell!"

"Nutcase more like it" Cross thought to himself, this man was one of the few people on Blackwatch apart from Mercer who gave him the creeps.

"They will be as strong as you, possibly even stronger but they will not even touch you in the speed department due to the natural mutation of the strain

and as you well know making more people like you costs a lot of time and money we don't have at the moment but these can be mass produced quickly and

relatively cheaply."

"You said something about an outside variable?" Cross questioned.

"Have you ever heard of Dr. Abraham Erskine or Project Rebirth?" McMullen replied.

"No, why? Should I have heard of them?"

"Well you've had a run-in with one of Project Rebirths experiments before" McMullen replied in a sly tone.

"I have?" Cross replied confused.

"Yes, think back to Hope, Idaho 1968, when Greene's strain of Red-Light first manifested itself."

"What does the Idaho incident have to do with this?" Cross asked becoming increasingly confused.

"Before we could contain the problem the American government got wind of the trouble and sent a team in to investigate."

Cross's eyes widened as he realized who McMullen was referring to.

"Wait are you talking about the sample I took from Steven?"

"Yes Robert, Mr Rodgers is our variable!"

**Town Of Hope, Idaho, August 8th 1968, 9am**

"ETA 5 minutes" the pilot of the helicopter stated turning to the group of Blackwatch soldiers sitting in the passenger cabin.

A few of them nodded their heads in acknowledgement but most stayed quiet trying not to think about the horrific task that had been entrusted to them.

Cross sat near the back absent mindedly cleaning the barrel of his gun.

"Sir?" Cross looked up at the Blackwatch agent standing in front of him.

"What is it soldier?" he returned in a low voice.

"Is it true sir? The whole town has become infected?"

"Yes" Cross replied coarsely as he slid the firing pin back into his pistol.

"But surely this is too extreme. Carrying out an exterminatus on the whole town. There's women and children in there sir."

"We have our orders soldier if you think I'm any happier about them than you then you're mistaken" the captain replied solemnly.

"But Sir this is inhumane! We caused this and we are just going to go in there and kill them?" the soldier persisted; obviously the rest of the men hated the

idea as well as they turned to watch the argument.

"This is now a matter of international security!" Cross snapped back "not just national security, if that virus becomes air-born not only will the U.S.A fall but

so will the rest of the f***ing world!"

His words seemed to hit their mark because the soldier simply nodded his head and returned to his seat.

"Don't try to play the inhumane or the conscience card on the captain, from what I've heard he isn't even human anymore thanks to that new guy

McMullen"one of the soldiers whispered to the other as he sat down.

Cross's eyes briefly darted to glare at the man who turned pale having realized that the captain had heard him.

Although they were right about one thing.

He was no longer human in the normal sense thanks to weeks of painful experimentation by the Blackwatch scientist but he did still have a conscience and

he knew what they were about to do was wrong but he also knew what he'd told the other soldier was true as well.

If the virus did escape their containment then all was lost.

The virus was supposed to become non-affective after 12hours and kill its host, so why after almost 18hours where they still getting reports of infected still

standing.

"Sir there's a transmission for you up here" the pilot said turning to Cross.

Getting up from his seat he made his way past the grim faced Blackwatch members.

"Cross here" he said dryly into the radio like device.

"Captain, this is General Randall unfortunately you no longer have 24hours to clear up this mess you now have 12."

"What?" Cross replied shocked.

"I'm afraid the U.S government has got wind of the fact that there is some kind of biological threat in Idaho they are preparing a team as we speak"

Randall finished.

"12 hours? Sir with all due respect I don't have enough men to do this in that sort of time."

"Find a way captain and if worst comes to worst you can always 'take care of' the governments team" Randall replied before ending the transmission.

Cross turned to the men behind him they were all looking at him with expectant faces obviously they hoped the new order was not to carry out a legal

massacre on Hope.

"We now only have 12 hours to get this done" Cross stated grimly.

A chorus of voices began after he said this.

"What?"

"We can't do it that fast!"

"We need more men for that kind of speed."

"Silence!" Cross growled.

The men instantly went quiet looking worriedly at their captain.

"Yes its true we cannot take care of this as we had planned we do not have the time to hunt down every single infected and put them in the ground but

we do have time to blow the whole place sky-high!" he finished.

Some of the men looked a little happier, apparently killing people indirectly was a more appealing idea than getting blood on their hands by shooting them.

"We've reached the outer perimeter. I'm bringing her down!" the pilot announced as the helicopter began to descend.

It shuddered slightly as it touched the grassy ground.

Slowly the soldiers single filed out of each side of the chopper weapons in hand.

Cross was the last to get out and was greeted by one of the recon team who had been in charge of securing the zone.

"What's the situation?" Cross asked loudly trying to speak over the chopping noise of the helicopters blades.

"It's been pretty quiet since the breach. A few of infected attempted to escape containment but they were quickly taken down by the snipers posted round

the perimeter" the man yelled back.

They made their way away from the helicopter until they were able to speak normally.

"How many hostiles are we looking at?" Cross questioned.

"Well the last count we made was 461 residents if you subtract the ones killed by us and the other infected themselves you're looking at about 300 or

more" the soldier replied turning his headtowards a makeshift barricade that had be put up on one of the roads leaving the town.

"Here take these" the soldier said taking a brief case from one of his men and opening it to reveal many small earpieces equipped with microphones.

"If you and all your squad take one it will allow you to stay in contact with myself and my men on the outer perimeter and prevent friendly fire when you

leave the town" the soldier finished.

Bending down Cross picked up one of the many devices and placed it in his ear.

"So what's the plan?" the soldier continued returning his gaze to Cross.

"We've had a change in plan instead of a full day to exterminate the entire population we have 12 hours so it looks like we'll be blowing the place straight

to hell" the captain replied whilst checking his M16 and side arms.

"How are you going to do that? It doesn't look like you've brought any explosives."

"Near the center of the town is a testing facility, according to last file I read it has enough explosive material to send the entire town up in flames all I have

to do is cause a spark" Cross replied gesturing to a lump of C4 attached to his belt alongside a combat knife and various ammunition.

"Well it seems you have it all figured out Captain let us know what you find in…."

"Hostiles approaching" a voice crackled down the earpiece.

Although it was morning it was unusually dark and Cross had to squint before he could make out four figures moving towards the barricade.

"Targets marked" one of the snipers spoke again.

Cross ran to the barricade to get a closer look.

He believed in preparation and this may be the only chance he'd get to see the infected in action before he entered the town.

"Do we engage?" one of the snipers asked.

"Hold your fire, I'd like to get a closer look at those things" Cross replied into the small microphone attached to the earpiece.

Placing the butt of the M16 into his elbow Cross stared down the scope at the approaching infected.

It was then he realized something was wrong the three at the back seemed to be chasing the one in front.

"Shit" he said lowering his rifle, it wasn't an attack it was a hunting pack closing in on its prey.

"Tango's are closing sir" one of the snipers spoke down the line nervously obviously wanting Cross to give the go ahead for a take down.

"Do not engage! I repeat do not engage there are 3 tango's and one civilian" Cross shouted.

"Captain I'm afraid we have orders that come from an authority even higher than you, if an unknown individual makes it within 50 meters of the perimeter

we have to engage" the soldier who had given out the earpieces stated moving next to him.

"But I'm telling you the one up front isn't infected!" Cross snapped back.

"I'm sorry Captain we have our orders" the soldier replied coldly.

"Mark your targets and prepared to engage" the soldier continued holding the small microphone closer to his mouth.

"God f***ing dammit!" Cross cursed as he jumped quickly over the barricade and began running toward the approaching group.

"What the f*** is he doing?" he heard one of the snipers cry out.

"Hold your fire!" the first soldier shouted down the line in a panicked voice "Cross is active down there I repeat do not fire!"

Stopping about 30 meters from the infected Cross raised his rifle and took aim on the infected.

Looking down the sight he could now see that the person in front was a girl who couldn't have been much older than 17.

Taking aim he quickly shot two of the hostiles squarely in the head and they dropped sharply to the floor.

Unfortunately he couldn't get a clear shot at the third as it was directly behind the civilian.

Lowering his weapon he broke back into a run, he reached the girl just as she collapsed.

Quickly catching her before she hit the ground he slung her arm over his shoulder and began dragging her back to the perimeter.

Thanks to his newly obtained abilities Cross was able to easily outrun the clumsy in fact while carrying the girl slumped over him.

Reaching towards his belt he drew his side arm as the M16 would be nigh impossible to wield with one arm and turned to take aim at the hostile.

He needn't have bothered as after he'd got the infected squarely in line with the pistol sights a bullet whizzed past his head striking the infected and

sending it sprawling to the ground.

"Tango down!" one of the snipers stated dryly, cocking his rifle.

Holstering his weapon he made his way to the barricade and handed the girl too one of the Blackwatch soldiers before climbing over the barricade himself.

"Well that was rather rash Captain" the first soldier said raising an eyebrow and looking at him sternly.

"We might need her. She may have knowledge on what's going on in there" Cross replied turning away from the man and making his way towards a truck

where the girl had been placed.

She had long blond hair and deep brown eyes her clothes where torn and her face was spattered in mud and what looked like dried blood.

She eyed Cross nervously as he approached her.

"It's ok we're here to help. Can you tell me about what's going on in there?" he asked trying to keep his voice as warm as possible.

It was then the girl broke into tears and began sobbing uncontrollably.

Leaning into the back of the truck Cross picked up a spare Blackwatch jacket and wrapped it around her.

He then stood in front of her and waited for her cries to subside.

"I-it started at about 5 o'clock this m-morning" she began, trying to speak through her sobs.

"I w-was woken by people screaming. There was b-blood everywhere."

"Do you know anything about what happened?"

"N-no people just went mad attacking everything in sight" she finished breaking out into fresh sobs.

This was both a curse and a blessing for Cross, it was a curse as it didn't give him any leads as to how this horrible incident had occurred but it was a

blessing as it meant the girl knew nothing about the virus or what was really going on as if she had he knew Blackwatch would have made her

'disappear' very quickly.

"B-but there was s-something else that w-was strange" the girl began again, causing Cross to narrow his eyes slightly.

"M-ms Greene a lady who lived not f-far from me."

"What about her?" "W-when I was h-hiding I saw her w-walking amongst those th-things and they completely ignored her in fact they even seemed t-to

be moving aside as she a-approached" the girl finished as she wiped another tear from her face.

"I want everything you have on this woman Greene" Cross said turning to one of the perimeter guards.

"Yes sir I'll…."

He was cut off by the sound of heavy coughing.

Cross's head snapped back to the girl, she had fallen from a sitting position to her back in and was coughing uncontrollably.

Cautiously moving closer Cross pulled her back to a sitting position then quickly stepped back drawing his pistol.

Her eyes had rolled back in their sockets leaving only the white parts visible and blood was starting to seep from her mouth as she began to convulse.

The other Blackwatch agents stood watching the phenomenon, horror chiseled onto their normally stern faces.

Suddenly the girls eyes snapped back down the iris's where glazed white much like the way a strong cataract looks.

Her mouth opened and she began to snarl.

Cross didn't hesitate, using his free hand he pushed her back to the floor of the truck pinning her to it.

As she began to struggle he quickly placed the barrel of the weapon against her forehead and pulled the trigger.

The girl stopped moving instantly and slumped onto the floor lifelessly.

"Dear God!" one of the soldiers breathed looking at the body in horror.

It was as he holstered his weapon Cross noticed the bite mark, it was behind her left leg on her lower calf, that was why he hadn't noticed it to begin with.

Leaning over the girl he dragged his hand over her eyes to close her eyelids and brushed a lock of her hair out of the bullet hole on her forehead.

She was so young she hadn't dissevered what had happened to her or what he had just done.

"I killed her?" he thought in shock "That f***ing virus made me murder a child!"

It was at that moment Cross swore to himself that he would use any means necessary to prevent this from happening again and that he would find the

person responsible and crush the life out of them with his bare hands.

He stood for a few minutes in silence and the Blackwatch soldiers shifted nervously behind him.

Then briskly he turned and began walking towards the barricade.

"Check your weapons. We're going in now!" he said darkly.

* * *

><p><strong>Note<strong>: The Idaho incident will probably continue every 2 chapters as it will mostly be seen from Cross's point of view so as not have 5-6 chapters in a row of just Cross I thought it would be easier to break it up.


	31. Operation: SpearHead

**New Avengers Hideout, New York 12:30pm**

"And that's what he said" Logan finished, leaning back in his chair and taking a mouthful of beer.

"Well it's obviously a trap of some kind. They wouldn't make us that kind of offer without some kind of catch" Mockingbird replied thoughtfully.

"Captain obvious strikes again!" Deadpool chimed up while absent mindedly twirling one of his many knives on his ring finger.

"They're probably just trying to get us all in one place so Osborn and this Cross guy can put us six feet under" Wolverine continued, he'd somehow found a

way of tuning out Deadpool's ramblings and thus far it seemed to be working.

"I don't know. Although he's ruthless I don't think that this Cross guy is lying I honestly think he wants us to find a cure" Jessica suddenly said looking at

the other Avengers.

"Really? The guy who put a gun to your head?" Wolverine growled.

"He also saved me from getting infected too" Jessica growled back.

"Ok, ok say your right and this guy really does want us to find a cure I doubt Osborn is simply going to step aside and let us use all of his labs. Plus

the fact we are down a member of our team" Iron Fist said hurriedly trying to calm the incoming row.

"How is Carol by the way?" Clint suddenly asked turning to look at Peter.

"She's going to be alright she just needs rest so she can replace the blood she lost" Spider-man replied.

"What's bitten you web-head? You've said next to nothing since we got back and normally you're like a constant buzz in my ears" Wolverine asked eyeing

Peter strangely.

"It's nothing I'm just tired."

"Yeah Pete, not only did I rip-off your costume I also stole you're bubbly personality" Deadpool said as he watched the knife spin in his hand.

The Avengers all turned to look at the red mercenary in shock.

"What? Is there something on my devilishly handsome face?" he said raising one of his gloved hands and pretending to wipe something away.

"You just called him Pete. How did you know his name? He kept his mask on all this time to prevent you from finding that out" Spider-woman said eyeing

the assassin.

"Oh yeah about that! Back in chapter 23 the writer forgot that he was trying to keep me from finding that out and Wolverine referred to him as Peter and

now he's brought it up so I can make a joke out of it! What a way to plug a plot-hole dude" Deadpool said sheathing his knife.

"You used my real name!" Peter growled angrily turning to give Logan a livid stare.

"Holy shit I'm sorry Pete I wasn't thinking straight. This joker had me all on edge and it just kind of slipped out" Wolverine replied genuinely shocked.

"Well great, just great, not only do we have some unknown guy running around taking out our team- mates and a city full of infected people I also now

have to put up with the fact that this lunatic knows my real name" Peter replied angrily.

"If it's any consolation this is a FanFiction so by the time I'm back in the good old Deadpool comic's I won't remember it anyways" the mercenary said

eyeing Peter.

"You know you're actually making less sense than you usually do right now! And for you that's a serious accomplishment!" Logan sighed.

"Ok we are all clearly on edge and tired after this morning let's all have some rest and then talk this over when our heads are clear" Danny said again

attempting to avoid confrontation.

They all got up left the table.

"I'm going for a walk" Peter stated as he pulled off his mask (the only piece of his costume he'd been wearing) and put it into his jacket pocket.

"Wait for me webs I want to talk to you" Logan said following Spider-man out the door.

"No offense Logan but I really could use some alone time right now" Peter said turning to the mutant as he walked out of the building.

"I'm sorry Pete but this can't wait" Logan insisted.

"Ok fine I know a little café down the street we'll sit and talk there."

A few minutes later they reached restaurant and sat at one of the tables outside the small café.

"So what's so important that you had to follow me all the way out here" Peter asked as he sank down into one of the chairs.

"I think you know" Logan replied as he took his seat as well.

"The cure right?" Peter questioned.

"Yeah can you do it before you turn? And before the infected break out of the red zone again?" the mutant said staring Peter in the eye's.

"I don't know there's been a development" Peter replied truthfully.

"A development?"

"I took a sample from the bite I got from that thing and its different from the one we stole from the van" Peter replied.

"Different? Different how?" Logan asked slightly worried.

"Remember when I said someone could make the virus a lot worse if they wanted to?"

"Yeah."

"Well somebody did and made a very good job of it too" Peter said, watching as his words sank in.

"So you can't do it?" Logan asked seriously.

"I don't know but with the resources I have and the time I've got until the virus sets in I doubt it" Peter replied gravely.

"But you might be able to if you had Osborn's labs and Blackwatch's cooperation?"

"I think so" Peter replied confirming what Wolverine was thinking.

"Then we have no choice we've got to take them up on the offer" Logan stated turning to watch the cars as they passed.

"No, it puts the team in too much danger being that close to the Dark Avengers and Blackwatch.

I'll go alone even if it does turn out to be a trap I'm a dead-man walking without that equipment"

Peter replied also turning to watch as the cars passed them.

"Listen bug if you ever say anything like that again I'll kill you myself" Wolverine growled his head whirling back to glare at Spider-man.

"We're a team and if you think that any of the others let alone me are gonna let you walk into H.A.M.M.E.R alone then you've got another think coming

bub."

"May I take your order?"

Both the Avengers heads snapped up to see a red haired waitress standing there looking at them curiously.

"Ermm black coffee please" Peter replied.

"Heineken" Logan grunted eyeing the waitress.

"Ok I'll be back in one minute" she said and turned to re-enter the café.

Peter followed Logan's gaze to the waitress's retreating form.

"Looks like I've found something we have in common after all" Peter said smiling slightly.

"And what's that webs?" the mutant questioned still not turning away from the woman.

"We both have a thing for red-heads" Peter replied his smile breaking into a small chuckle.

"I guess you're right" Logan said as he turned back to face Spider-man a small smile also spreading across his face.

"But a little bird told me that blond is the new red for you" Logan continued his smile growing slightly wider.

**Dana's Safehouse , New York 12:30pm**

"How come day time tele is so crap?" Alex thought as he turned the tv off and threw the remote to the opposite end of the couch.

He'd tried to figure out something about the morning's events but the whole thing seemed like a blur and eventually he'd given up.

"It's been almost 2 hours she must have found something by now" he grumbled getting to his feet and heading towards the study.

Reaching out he grasped the doorknob but to his surprise it turned on its own and Dana walked out almost bumping into him.

"Jesus Alex! You scared the hell out of me" Dana gasped as she composed herself.

"Well?"

"I broke it. She's all yours" Dana said smiling.

"You looked through it didn't you?" Alex sighed looking at his sister.

"Of course I did! I didn't spend all that time cracking it for the information to be for 'your eyes only.' Anyway it's not like I could understand anything in it,

there's just a bunch of photos and a few documents that mean nothing to me" she replied sharply.

Letting out another sigh Alex pushed past her into the study, he'd hoped to keep Dana in the dark as much as possible that way if Blackwatch ever caught

her she'd have plausible deniability but she seemed intent on undermining this.

Sitting down in the desk chair he looked at the mass of folder icons on the glowing screen.

One of them caught his eye, it was entitled Black-Light: Project Zeus.

Moving the mouse he double clicked on the folder and it opened a document file.

"Holy crap I was one clever son of a b****" he exclaimed as he saw the rows of equations and notes.

Although he'd lost his memory, parts of his earlier education still remained although he couldn't understand all of it by reading the side notes he was able

to understand the basics.

"Why would Blackwatch release the virus?" he thought after he'd finished reading.

His version of Black-Light was even worse than the original and as the infected roaming the city didn't seemed to have died after 12 hours he could only

assume that the version of the virus that was plaguing New York was his creation.

"Is this what they put in me? Was I their f***ing guinea pig?" he growled.

After he'd gathered everything he could from that file he went back and began looking at the others.

For the next five minutes every file he opened was useless being either a bank statement or some kind of lab related questionnaire but then another file

caught his eye.

It was titled simply 'Greene'.

Opening the file a picture popped up on the screen.

His eyes widened in shock as he recognized the red hair and the ivory skin.

"Elizabeth Greene" he murmured to himself "so that's who you are."

Scrolling down he began reading the notes.

One passage caught his eye as it was written in hand writing rather than typed in.

_"As Greene was infected with Red-Light which is the same base formula that is used to create Black- Light we can only assume that Greene would still have_

_ the ability to control them the same way as she demonstrated in Idaho (see Operation: Spearhead)."_

The more he read about this Greene woman, the more he realized what a mistake it had been in freeing her.

The infected had been dangerous enough on their own but if what was written here was true and she really could manipulate and organize them then

things where about to get a whole lot worse.

One thing the file couldn't explain was why she had been unable to control him.

As far as he was aware he had to be infected with either Black-Light or Red-Light and as they were both made from the same chemical base why hadn't

she been able to control him? But what made matters worse was it begged the question what had he become? He hadn't been turned into a mindless

animal like all of the other people who were infected and he had yet to see any other infected do any of the things he could do.

It was then he realized that this wasn't true, Greene had demonstrated the ability to absorb when they were fighting she had also been able to make

weapons out of her Biomass, not to the same extent he could but she could do it.

Where they somehow the same?

Sinking back in his char he clicked back to the file select screen.

Bringing up the search bar he typed in 'Parker' this woman must know something about what was going on if they had indeed been lovers as he

suspected.

An image popped onto the screen it was a profile of one of the many Blackwatch employees.

"Karen Vanessa Parker" he read out loud as he looked at the photo of the blond woman in the top right-hand corner.

"Looks like I had good taste in women" he thought smiling slightly while he eyed the attractive blue eyed blond.

**_Age: 29_**

**_Born: January 1st 1982_**

**_Known relatives:_**

_May Parker(Maiden: Reilly): Distant Aunt_

_Occupation: Retired_

_Peter Parker: Distant Cousin_

_Occupation: Photographer._

After sifting through the pointless information he finally found a telephone number.

Blackwatch had been clever enough not to put the addresses of their employees on their files.

Qucikly jotting the number down on a piece of paper next to him he opened the search bar again.

This time he typed in Spearhead.

He'd seen the name in Greene's file and wanted to know what happened in a Idaho and what Operation: Spearhead was.

A new file materialized on the screen.

"Holy shit!" he gasped as he read the document.

Things had just gotten even more complicated.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Just to clear a few things up Operation: SpearHead is not in Marvel or Prototype continuity it's just something i've made up for the story.

With regards to the Deadpool quote, I had forgot about Deadpool not knowing Peter's identity so I quickly plugged it before it got any further lol!


	32. The Idaho Incident: Part 2

**Town Of Hope, Idaho August 8th 1968, Black ops mission dubbed Spearhead, 11am**

_"Area secure"_ one of the soldiers spoke into the microphone informing the other Blackwatch agents it was safe to move. Emerging from a doorway Cross made his way out of the building he had just checked.

_"What the f*** is going on?"_ one of his men asked turning to him _"We came in just under 2 hours ago and we still haven't seen one infected but according to that girl the whole town was full of them._"

Cross was on edge what the man said was true it was like a ghost town there was evidence that the infected had been there, blood covered the pavement in certain areas, cars had been overturned and windows and downs where smashed.

_"Something's not right"_ he exclaimed out loud. _"We'll make our way towards the lab but move quietly and stay frosty"_ he finished as he crouched in the shadows and began to make his way forward.

He had been in Vietnam when Blackwatch had approached him with the job offer and he accepted it instantly he hated being on the frontline the lack of sleep, the constant sounds of people dying around him and the feeling that any moment could be his last scared him to his core. Once during a recon mission he had got separated from the rest of his squad when a Vietcong ambush hit them. To avoid being shot Cross had quickly dived into one of the many Vietcong tunnels unfortunately this had resulted in him getting lost in the maze of underground tunnels. Three days he had stayed underground avoiding Vietcong patrols and silently killing as many as possible as they passed with his combat knife.

During his time in the tunnels the Vietcong grew to fear going into them and dubbed him _'chuyên gia'_ which roughly translated as _'The Expert or The Specialist'_ due to his skill with a blade. Although the event had been horrific it tuned his senses to a point he could almost sense danger before it happened and after he escaped the tunnels the nickname had stuck. As he moved crouched in the shadows Cross felt the same feeling he had felt in those tunnels before an ambush.

Pressing himself flat against the wall of the building they were currently passing he peeked in through the nearest window. To the untrained eye nothing would have indicated the presence of an enemy but Cross's eye's missed nothing. The way the furniture had been moved was to deliberate it was almost as if it was an attempt to create cover but the infected where mindless beasts surely they couldn't have done that maybe it had been done by a survivor who had tried to hold them off.

Just as he was beginning to doubt his senses he saw a flash of movement behind an overturned table. Quickly holding up his hand he stopped the following Blackwatch soldiers.

_"Possible Tango in the building bottom floor 11 o'clock behind the table"_ he whispered into his mic. The soldiers nodded to confirm they had understood. Cross positioned himself in front of the door and lifting his right leg he prepared to kick the door open.

As his foot made contact with the door all hell broke loose infected appeared from all directions out of nearby buildings, man-holes, cars, alleyways. The infected he'd seen behind the furniture lunged at him. Quickly taking aim he dropped them with direct shots to the head with the M16 before turning back to the incoming hoard outside. The Blackwatch agents where firing salvo after salvo of bullets into the enemy. Panic had taken over as none of them seemed to be hitting the infected in the head.

Slinging the rifle back over his shoulder he drew his side-arm as the infected had closed in frighteningly quickly rendering the large assault rifle useless. One of them launched itself in his direction snarling and spitting. Cross raised his weapon but the creature inadvertently blocked it with its left arm. Crouching Cross braced himself for the incoming weight while simultaneously reaching down to his belt and drawing his combat knife with his free hand. As the infected landed on him he brought his gun arm back up and used it to restrain the infected by striking his arm into the beast's neck. With lightning speed he then slashed the blade across the infected's stomach and noticed the look in the creature's eyes as the steel blade bit through flesh and bone.

_"So they do still feel pain but they obviously don't seem to care much about it"_ he thought as the infected shrugged off the blow and attempted to bite his arm.

The assailant's head snapped back briefly the butt of the knife came into contact with its forehead Cross then raised the pistol and pressed the barrel under the infected's chin and pulled the trigger. The bullet ripped through the cartilage of the lower jar, through the brain before exiting through the top of the skull.

As the body fell lifelessly to the floor another two infected began their assault. _"Shit"_ Cross thought as he quickly parried and countered their blows. _"I can't take my time with these things. Everytime I kill one another two pop up to replace it. I've got to try and make each blow fatal."_

Just then a large droning noise made him look up even the infected seemed to slow their assault trying to work out where the sound was coming from. A large helicopter flew overhead letting out a large burst of heavy machine gun fire.

_"What the f***?"_ Cross yelled out as he quickly strafed to the left to avoid being hit by the volley as it tore into the infected also clipping a few Blackwatch in the process._ "Check your f***ing fire!"_ Cross yelled furiously into his microphone.

_"What?"_ came the confused reply of the base.

_"Your f***ing heli is shooting us as well as the infected!"_ he shouted back.

_"That's not us!"_ came the reply of the communications officer.

_"Come again?"_ Cross replied shocked.

_"I don't know who that heli is captain but I can tell you it's not us"_ the Blackwatch soldier replied firmly.

_"The chopper is dark! I repeat the chopper is dark! Return fire!"_ Cross shouted at the remaining Blackwatch before holstering his pistol and letting off a few shots into the helicopter with the assault rifle.

The chopper veered away quickly as the Blackwatch shot a volley of shots into is armored hull._"They won't get far"_ Cross thought lowering his weapon _"well not with the two bullet I put in their fuel tank they won't."_ The infected seemed to have departed with the arrival of the helicopter and the streets where back to being deathly quiet apart from the groans of the wounded Blackwatch soldiers.

_"Who the hell was that?"_ one of the men asked following the fleeing helicopter.

_"I think it may have been the government team Randall warned us about"_ Cross growled starring daggers at the retreating aircraft. _"It's leaking fuel and will have to land soon our orders where to take them out should they arrive"_ Cross continued as he began to follow the droning noise of the helicopter blades.

_"What the hell just happened?"_ the gunner of the helicopter asked turning to the rest of the marines huddled in the choppers hull.

_"It was like a warzone down there"_ he continued turning his attention back to the town below.

_"Looks like we're not the only ones here"_ one of the men responded. His attire was different from the others instead of the default army issue uniform he was dressed in dark blue with a large white star emblazoned on the chest.

_"Captain Rogers I think our fuel tank is punctured I reckon we have about 5 minutes left of flight before the tank leaks it all out"_ the pilot said turning to the Captain.

_"Find a place to land we'll go on foot from here"_ he replied pulling a large red, white and blue shield from his back.

**Present Day, New York, about 12:25pm**

Elizabeth Greene walked through the streets off New York ignoring the strange looks people where giving her due to her laboratory attire. She had left the red zone temporarily to have a look round her soon to be kingdom. _"They are like ants"_ she thought as she watched people go about their day to day activities. Greene did not mean this in a degrading way it was just a general observation, in her eyes they were like ants as alone they are powerless but united in the common goal of protecting their hive and their queen they became a formidable opponent.

She remembered after she became infected she'd looked upon humans not as an inferior species or a vermin that needed destroying but as beings who had a lot of potential to become better than what they were, like mounds of clay she could shape and mold into a work of art.

Blackwatch had assumed when they had captured her that her intentions had been world destruction but they had been wrong she hadn't wanted to destroy it all she had wanted to do was rid the planet of the disease called free will. Free will was the only thing standing in her way; in her head she had a warped idea of the perfect world. If the whole planet was under her control there would be no more wars or violence over race, gender or way of life just the aspiration to evolve and protect their queen. Unfortunately such a radical change was going to cause numerous human casualties but it was a small price to pay.

Finally the stares she was getting started to annoy her she knew that no one in the vicinity posed a threat but evolve or die was the way of the world and she prided herself on adapting to any situation. She stopped in front of a large poster, it depicted an attractive woman dressed in a black T-shirt that came just above her navel and dark blue denim jeans. It must have been an advert for some kind of perfume as the woman was cradling a bottle of something. "I'd blend in more if I looked like that" she mused. No sooner as she thought it her clothes morphed from the lab suit into the same clothes as the woman on the poster. She smiled as she looked at her reflection in a shop window.

No one seemed to have noticed the quick change in attire the whole process had taken about a second so one blink and it would have gone unnoticed. She began making her way through the crowded streets no longer getting stares of bewilderment but more often than not she noticed men throwing her a lustful glance.

She made her way towards central park and walked through the large area for about 10 minutes before she sat down on a bench overlooking a small pond.

_"God it feels good to be out of there"_ she thought as she felt the sun on her skin. Being shut up in a lab since 1968 had been horrific and there was no way anyone was taking her back. Although she was fairly sure that the infection had taken a good foothold in the red zone there were still a few problems.

_"Blackwatch seem to have some new recruits"_ she thought thinking back to the Dark Avengers but they were the least of her worries the only man that had her on edge was Cross. She always thought of him as a machine once he had his mind set on something he wouldn't stop or rest until he had accomplished whatever it was he wanted. It was a trait she both feared and respected. Although he wasn't on the same level of physical power as her, he was relentless, lethal and smart, these three traits made him a very tough opponent. Another thing that troubled her was Alex Mercer, she couldn't control him and yet he was infected on a massive level. The instant he saw her he should have been completely under her control but instead it was almost as if he didn't even feel her presence. That had been unexpected. Their little skirmish had been enough to tell her that he was at least on par with her on speed, strength and agility.

Alex Mercer had sparked her curiosity she decided that she needed to see him again now she had cleared her head, it would also have to be a peaceful meeting as they could probably attack each other until hell froze over before they died, besides she still wanted him on her side his abilities could prove a great asset.

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>As you can see i'm trying out a new text format please leave a message in the review to tell me you find this easier to read :) If you find this format better i'll make every previous and future chapter like it.


	33. Not All Surprises Are Good

**New Avengers hideout, New York, 1pm**

_"euh"_ Carol groaned as she rolled onto her side and felt the a twinge of pain run through her._ "What happened?"_ she thought pulling herself into a sitting position and placing a hand on her forehead. _"How did I get back here?"_ The last thing she remembered was facing the man on the rooftop everything after that seemed to be a blur apart from a very vivid dream of her kissing Peter. _"Now my dreams are mocking me too"_ she thought as she pushed the sheets off and got gingerly out of the bed and discovered she was still wearing her costume. Obviously whoever patched her up had decided to work round her costume rather than cut it off. _"Must have been Peter"_ she thought smiling slightly at the thought of Peter debating whether to cut away her suit to better repair the wounds or let her keep her dignity. Every bone in her body groaned in pain as she began pulling her civvies on over the ripped black costume.

***Bang***

Her head snapped up at the sound of the gunshot. Quickly she burst out of her room into the living room looking for the source of the noise.

_"I'll get that smug son of a b**** this time."_

She sighed as she saw the source of the noise. Deadpool was sitting at a table pointing a smoking gun at a blue box in front of him. Suddenly Jessica burst in through another door.

_"What's going on? I heard a shot"_ she asked visibly agitated.

_"Shhhhhh"_ Deadpool said holding up his left hand to signal for silence.

_"Ask him!"_ Carol replied gesturing to the mercenary.

"I_ said shhhhh I'm gonna get that little bastard this time. I'll show that smug little bugger who's boss"_ he growled back.

Carol watched as Deadpool reached out to a small crank on the side of the box and began to turn it. As he did a small tune began to resonate from it. _"That's not what I think it is?"_ Carol asked disdainfully. As soon as the tune reached its crescendo a small clown popped out the top of the box followed by another shot.

_"__Got the little bastard!"_ Deadpool cried joyously putting the smoking gun back in its holster.

_"A jack-in-the-box? All of that for a jack-in-the-box?"_ Spider-woman asked furiously.

_"Well I don't like clowns!"_ Deadpool replied looking at the smoking spring where the jack had once been.

_"I thought we were being attacked!"_ Jessica replied her eye twitching ever so slightly.

_"You want me to spell it out for you? I-DON'T-LIKE-CLOWNS!"_ Deadpool insisted returning her glare. _"Anyways this proves that not all surprises are good ones"_ he concluded as he got up and walked past Spider-woman who seemed to be getting angrier by the second.

_"What happened?"_ Danny asked as he rushed into the room followed by the other Avengers.

_"Old red and black over there had a tiff with a child's toy"_ Carol said slumping down into a couch and gesturing to disappearing assassin.

_"Wade get your ass back here! We need to talk!"_ Jessica said furiously following Deadpool as he left the room.

_"If it's about booby trapping the corridor I'm way ahead of you"_ Deadpool shouted back enthusiastically.

_"What?"_ came Jessica's confused reply followed by another loud bang.

_"Ah crap what's he done now?"_ Clint sighed putting a hand on his forehead and looking at the door Deadpool and Spider-woman had just passed through.

_"Jess are you ok?"_ Cage asked walking towards the door concern in his voice.

_"WADE I'M GOING TO KILL YOU"_ came a furious shriek from the raven haired heroine.

_"Yep I think she's ok"_ Danny replied smiling slightly.

_"Should we go see what happened?"_ Cage asked still a little concerned.

_"No, Jess is a big girl she can handle it and by the sound of how annoyed she is I wouldn't want to get in her way"_ Clint said chuckling slightly.

_"I see your back on your feet, well metaphorically speaking"_ Iron Fist said turning to the blond heroine who was currently lying back in the couch.

_"I feel like crap though"_ Carol replied flinching slightly as her wounds twinged. _"Any of you guys know what happened?"_ she asked looking at her fellow Avengers.

_"Not really"_ Mockingbird replied _"you got attacked by some guy called Mercer he tore you up pretty good."_

_"Who is he? Who's he with Osborn or Blackwatch?"_ Carol replied massaging a wound on her shoulder.

_"Neither apparently"_ Danny said crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

_"Neither?"_ Carol answered surprised.

_"According to that Cross guy he's rogue"_ Danny continued.

_"Rogue or not that guy can deliver a blow"_ Carol replied remembering the feeling of the man's foot crashing into her ribs.

_"Well he's the least of our worries the virus has been active for a while now it won't take long for it to spread beyond the Red Zone"_ Danny replied thoughtfully.

_"Where's Peter and Logan?"_ Carol asked suddenly realizing the duo were missing.

_"Peter went for a walk and Logan went with him"_ Mockingbird said sitting down next to her. Just then the door opened and Logan walked in.

_"Where's Spider?"_ Cage asked looking over the mutant's shoulder.

_"He said he needed some time to think so I left him alone after I'd said what I had to"_ Wolverine replied. _"Good to see you're awake"_ Logan said diverting his attention to Carol _"how are you feeling?"_

_"Like the hulk just gave me a bear hug"_ Carol replied grimacing slightly.

_"Don't be a baby the jolly green giant doesn't hurt that much"_ Logan replied smiling slightly.

_"Did Pete say when he'd be back?"_ Clint asked as he sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the room.

_"No, he just said he needed some time to think."_

_"Ok so what's the next move? The infected aren't going to remain contained long"_ Danny asked looking at the Avengers.

_"We have to take Blackwatch up on their offer."_ Everyone turned to Wolverine shocked.

_"Work with them? Are kidding me? They'd sooner kill us than work with us"_ Clint replied.

_"I agree with Clint we can't work with them"_ Cage said looking at Logan.

_"Why would you even suggest that?"_ Carol asked surprised. Wolverine didn't reply but he's eyes briefly darted to the side as if he was thinking something over.

_"What aren't you telling us?"_ Danny asked, he knew the mutant was hiding something by the way he was shifting uncomfortably under their gaze.

_"Peters infected"_ Logan replied darkly. The room went quiet as the others absorbed the news.

_"What? How?"_ Carol replied her mouth slightly agape.

_"The injury he got from the station."_

_"Shit"_ Clint said getting back to his feet _"but what does that have to do with the Dark Avengers? I thought he was already close to curing the virus?"_

_"He was but it turns out that the virus running around out there isn't the same one we stole from Blackwatch"_ Wolverine replied.

_"So he needs the equipment and knowledge Blackwatch have to be able to create this cure before he..."_ Mockingbird trailed off, she felt responsible as it was through saving her Peter had become infected.

_"Why didn't you tell us sooner?"_ Carol asked looking at Logan accusingly.

_"He told me not to so that you guys wouldn't be worried and you'd have your heads 100% focused on saving people_" Logan replied shifting awkwardly under Carol's medusa like stare.

_"Ah you're back"_ Jessica said looking at Wolverine as she entered the room followed by Deadpool.

_"Wow what's wrong with you guys? You look like someone told you that they are about to make a Watchmen 2 movie"_ the red mercenary said looking at the solemn faces of the Avengers.

**H.A.M.M.E.R HQ, New York 1:30**

_"What the?"_ Cross's head snapped towards the door as he heard the alarm go off. Getting quickly to his feet he grabbed the barreta on his bed and ran out of his room towards the stairs._ "What's going on?"_ he asked as he reached the room that separated the reception from H.A.M.M.E.R's labs.

_"No idea someone tripped the alarm"_ Moonstone replied looking towards the large metal door.

_"Whoever it is was quick! We didn't managed to get so much as a glimpse of the on the camera's"_ Osborn said as the iron patriots visor slid over his face.

_"It could be Mercer"_ Cross said turning his attention to the door _"be ready."_

_"Finally I've been itching to get a crack at that guy"_ Gargan said eagerly.

_"Open the door! Mercer could rip that the shreds with his bare hands anyway"_ Cross said turning to Osborn. The Iron Patriot pressed a button on a nearby control panel and the door slid open.

_"You?"_ Cross said surprised lowering his weapon.

_"Ah well if I can't get a go at Mercer this is definitely a good replacement"_ Gargan said as he looked at Spider-man.

_"You're making this to easy"_ Osborn said stepping forward and raising his hand to train the repulser on Peter.

_"Wait!"_ Cross said grabbing Osborn's arm and pushing it to his side. _"What do you want?"_ Cross asked looking at the red and blue clad man in front of him.

_"I'm here to take you up one you're offer"_ Peter replied calmly.

_"What makes you think you're of any use to us?"_ Cross countered.

_"I'm the one who came up with the idea of using Deadpool's healing factor to counter the effects of the virus"_ Spider-man replied.

_ "Ah so that was you"_ Cross said eyeing the man.

_"You can't seriously be considering this?"_ Gargan snarled through his pointed teeth.

_"Acctually.."_ Osborn began but he was cut off as the man in front of him buckled over coughing profusely. Pulling his mask up just above his mouth Peter spat out a mouthful of blood that had somehow materialized in his mouth. In a flash Cross had his gun trained on the wall crawler.

_"You're infected?"_ he asked sternly, he'd seen the early symptoms so often they were embedded into his head.

_"Yes, call it extra motivation if you like my healing factor will keep it at bay for a while. You want the infection gone so do I"_ Peter replied returning the soldiers gaze.

_'That's a good point we don't have any scientists talented enough to fix this and this guy will have the motivation to find a cure before he turns'_ Cross thought still not lowering his weapon.

_"No dice webs! If you're infected I want the pleasure of killing you I won't let some virus take my glory"_ Venom said advancing menacingly.

_"Stand down Gargan"_ came the iron patriots bionic voice._"What I was going to say before I was cut off was that I think this may be the wisest decision you've ever made since you stared dressing in that ridiculous get up"_ Osborn said eyeing Spider-man.

It was a good job Peter was wearing a mask so Osborn couldn't see the shock on his face. He had come ready for Osborn to turn him down straight away but instead he'd done the exact opposite. _"What's he playing at?"_ Peter thought eyeing Osborn suspiciously.

_"You've gotta be kidding me!"_ Venom snarled looking exasperatedly at the other Dark Avengers for support.

_"I'm game. The more the merrier"_ Bullseye said shrugging.

_"I guess I can go along with that"_ Moonstone concurred.

_"I'm with Gargan"_ Daken said.

_"Well I'm the one in charge so to be fair I don't really give a f*** if you agree or not"_ Osborn said glaring at Daken and Venom who quickly went silent.

_"So I'm guessing the rest of your team will be joining us?"_ Cross said looking at the red and blue clad superhero.

_"They will but I wanted to do the negotiating alone"_ Spider-man replied.

_"Because you're infected so it wouldn't matter if we killed you or not?"_ Cross asked.

_"How did you figure that out so qucik?"_ Spider-man asked surprised.

_"We are a lot more alike than you think. You're not the only one prepared to give his life to stop this abomination"_ Cross replied solemnly.

_"But I do have 3 conditions"_ Peter said focusing on Cross.

_"Name them."_

_"I need unlimited access to all you're information on the virus none of this classified bullshit and no harm must come to my teammates"_ Spider-man said sternly.

_"You can have access to anything you need and I promise we will not hurt your teammates but that was only 2 conditions. Whats your 3rd?"_

_"Oh I almost forgot"_ Spider-man said smiling under his mask. _"You guys have to keep Deadpool here we can't take any more of him!"_

_"Ah crap"_ Moonstone sighed, rolling her eyes in the process.

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> I saw this picture on the internet of Deadpool and a jack-in-the-box and I just couldn't resist adding it into the story here's the picture if any1 is interested!

.net/fs41/i/2009/040/9/f/Not_all_surprises_are_good_by_

The previous chapters will be reformatted once i'm finished with this story!


	34. The Idaho Incident: Part 3

**Town Of Hope, Idaho August 8th 1968, Black ops mission dubbed Spearhead, 1pm**

It had been just over 2 hours since the helicopter had disappeared.

"We can't keep looking much longer we're wasting time" Cross thought as they came to what looked like the town center.

"_Sir the men are tired. We need to take a break_" one of the soldiers whispered as he walked up beside him.

"_Fine they have 20 minutes to rest then we move out and let's try not to draw attention to ourselves_" he replied quietly.

They had been resting for about 5 minutes when a sound caught Cross's attention. It was faint, it must have been a long way in the distance but he'd heard enough gunshots in his time to recognized one no matter how far away it was. He got to his feet and motioned to the rest of them to follow. Rather begrudgingly the soldiers got to their feet and began following their captain.

"_What the f*** are these things?_" a marine screamed as a woman with a bleeding stump where her arm should have been jumped on him, snarling and pinning him to the ground. She was thrown off as a shield collided with her head, sending her flying into a nearby wall. "_Captain Rodgers we've underestimated the situation badly_" the marine said as he was helped to his feet by a man dressed in a blue and white uniform.

"_You're right whatever's going on here we aren't prepared for it_" Steve replied stretching out his arm to catch his shield as it rebounded against wall and spun back to his hand. "What the hell happened here?" he thought watching the assault. He was caught off guard as a man jumped on him from behind. If he hadn't known better Steve could have sworn he felt the man attempt to bite him through the stab proof material. Reaching up he grabbed one of the man's arms that were wrapped around his neck and throwing his weight forward he flipped the man over his back and pinned him to the ground using the shield.

_"Sir! Please calm down!_" he shouted at the snarling person beneath him. The man ignored him and continued to claw at the shield snarling and bearing blood soaked teeth. Being a war veteran Steve had seen some disturbing things but this man with is glazed eyes and blood drenched teeth made everything else pale in comparison. The thing that made this so disturbing was the fact that this man looked like a civilian. He could have been your average guy but instead he'd been reduced to a snarling animal. Steve pulled the shield away slightly so he could deliver a blow to the man's solar-plexus. Normally a blow like this would have winded the enemy causing them to buckle over as the air was forced from their lungs but the man acted as though he hadn't even felt it and continued his barrage of scratches on the shield.

"Looks like I don't have a choice" he thought as he reached to the holster on his belt and pulled out the pistol. He pressed the barrel against the man's chest and let off two rounds taking care not to hit any vital organs. He didn't like using guns so he sure as hell wasn't going to kill people with them on the rare occasions he did use them, unless it was absolutely necessary. Thinking that this would have put the man out of action he relented the pressure he was using to pin him but to his shock the man pushed back hard, throwing him off. Getting quickly to his feet he watched as the man stood back up, the gaping wounds in his chest not seeming to bother him in the slightest. "_Christ_" Steve breathed as he saw the man move towards him blood spurting from the wounds.

"_Captain we have multiple tango's coming in from the right flank_" one of the marines screamed. Turning Steve saw that there was at least another 30 people closing in on them.

"_Retreat we can't hold them!_" he shouted turning to the rest of his men. They turned and began to run down the street turning every few seconds to release a volley of gunfire into the approaching horde.

"_We can't keep this up forever_" one of the marines panted as he ran alongside Steve. Rodgers knew he was right they would have to make a stand soon or else they would just get run until exhaustion took them. Suddenly a large church appeared in front of them.

"_The church_" he yelled motioning to the building. "_Take cover behind the gravestones_" Steve barked crouching down behind the nearest one and bringing his weapon up to aim at the infected. The other men did the same panting and shaking as they did.

"_On my mark fire, 5 4 3 2..Wait!_"

Something strange happened the horde stopped in front of the church gate as if some force was holding them in place.

"_Why have they stopped?_" one of the soldiers asked as he relaxed his position.

"What's going on?" Steve thought watching the horde off immobile people.

"_Maybe they can't come onto holy ground?_" one of the others suggested.

"_Don't be f***ing stupid!_" one of the others barked back.

"_Quiet!_" Steve snapped as he tried to pinpoint what was preventing them attacking.

Just then they parted and a woman stepped out. She had long red hair and was wearing the remnants of what looked like a dress. She would have been very beautiful had her face not been streaked with blood and dirt. "_Why are you running_?" she asked looking at the men.

Steve looked at the woman a mixture of shock and confusion on his face. "_Who are you?_" he asked standing up from behind the gravestone.

The woman ignored him and repeated her question "W_hy are you running?_" her voice was soothing almost hypnotic.

"_What kind of question is that? Those things where trying to kill us_" one of the marines shouted back.

The women looked at him confusion written on her face. "_They were only trying to help you_" she replied as she stroked the hair of a man standing nearest her.

"_Help us?_" Steve asked dumbfounded as he watched the woman stroking one of the creatures that had been chasing them.

"_Yes, they were trying to give you a gift. Freeing you from fear, pain and loneliness_" she replied turning her emerald eyes to Steve.

"What's going on?" he thought as he looked at the woman "Why don't they attack her?"

"_Listen lady I don't know if your insane or something but those things weren't trying to help us. They are just mindless animals_" another marine snapped back.

The woman looked at them sadly "_You can't see what we offer. That's a shame._" She turned back to the man she had previously been stroking and placed her hand on his head. Steve watched in horror as the man's skin began to split and the muscle began to push through. A few seconds the thing that stood where the man had been bore no resemblance to a human, long serrated claws extended from its hands and jagged teeth protruded from its mouth.

"_What the f*** is that?_" he shouted raising his weapon again.

"_Evolution_" the woman replied turning to him and smiling. She then proceeded to do the same thing to another 5 people. "_Kill them_" she whispered to the closest. Then she turned and walked away followed by everyone but the newly created abominations.

The creatures launched themselves at the soldiers with lighting speed. "_Fire!_" Steve yelled as the monsters charged towards them. A volley of bullets struck them head-on but they didn't even seemed to notice as the bullets ripped through their flesh. Soon they closed in, the first one pounced on the closest soldier and plunged its long claws into the man's chest before chucking him aside like a piece of paper. Steve struck the closest one with his shield temporally stunning it. The creature stepped back shaking its head and snarling. Steve took the opportunity to jump on the creatures back. Raising his arm he slammed the shield into the back of its head causing the monster to buckle and fall to floor he then quickly put two bullets through the creatures skull and it slumped lifelessly. He looked up and to his horror he saw that the marines had been killed. The rest of the beasts then turned their attention to him gore dripping from their blood soaked jaws. They circled him growling and snapping their teeth.

"_This isn't going to end well_" Steve thought grimly as he looked at the things circling him. A shot rang out and a bullet ripped through the head of one of the hunters. The rest of hunters jumped back in surprise as their comrades body fell to the floor.

"_Well these certainly are some ugly ones_" came a calm cold voice.

Looking past the hunters Steve could just make out the shapes of some other men. Four of the five remaining hunters quickly broke off to attack the new arrivals and the other leapt at Steve.

"What the hell are these things?" Cross thought as one of them raised its huge clawed hand. Using both hands he blocked the creatures blow by stopping it at the forearm allowing him to avoid the large claws. Swiftly he brought back his right arm and punched the creature in the elbow and felt its joint shatter under his knuckles. The creature stepped back shrieking Cross quickly put it of its misery with a shot to the head. Turning he realized his men hadn't fared as well there was only one left and he was desperately trying to escape from one of the creatures clutches. He was about to help the soldier when he was quickly engaged by another hunter. "Sorry kid" he thought as he watched the hunter start to drag the soldier away but to his surprise a disc-like object struck the creature in the head causing it to drop the man. Then the creature was thrown to the floor as a man dressed in blue and white kicked it in the back leg and struck it on the back. "Well that's one less for me to worry about" he thought as he turned his attention back to his assailant.

The creature swept its arm forward in an arc striking Cross and sending him flying to the ground. "Dam those things are strong" Cross thought as he felt his head swim. Suddenly the hunter was on top of him pinning him to the ground he tried to raise his gun but the monster had it firmly pinned to the ground. "No" he thought gritting his teeth "Not like this!" Then the same disc-like object he'd seen earlier stuck the creature in the head throwing it off him. The blue and white clothed man stood over him hand extended. Reaching out Cross took it and the man pulled him to his feet.

"_Looks like there's only one left_" the man said looking at the last remaining hunter. It glared at the two men menacingly before raising its head and letting out a long shriek.

***Bang***

The hunter fell to the floor a large hole in its head. Steve turned and saw the soldier he'd saved earlier getting to his feet still clutching the smoking m16.

"_Looks like we're not quite out of the woods yet_" the other man said as a group of about 10 infected approached them. "_That thing must have attracted them when it screamed_" Steve said as the infected surrounded the three men. The soldier who seemed like the leader quickly leapt into action, striking the closest one in the jaw while simultaneously throwing a round-house kick into the chest of another. Steve watched surprised by the soldiers skills in hand to hand combat before he turned to engage his own opponents.

A few seconds later all the infected where down. Taking a deep breath Cross turned to his last remaining soldier "_Go back to the perimeter explain the situation._"

"_Out there? On my own are you crazy?_" The man gawked.

"_Would you prefer to continue to the center of the town with me then?_" Cross countered, looking at the man he knew he couldn't handle the rest of the journey, he was a boy, 23 at the most. The soldier contemplated this for a minute before nodding."_Get going soldier. You did well by the way, Corporal?_"

"_Taggart sir_" the man replied as he began to make his way back to the town perimeter "_Corporal Ian Taggart._"

"_So who the hell are you? And what's with the costume? It looks like a unicorn threw up on you!_" Cross asked turning his attention to the Rodger's.

Steve ignored the man's comment "_Captain Steve Rodgers, marines_" he replied.

"_Marines huh?_" Cross replied narrowing his eyes slightly.

"_And you are?_"

"_I'm afraid that's classified_"

"_My men just got attacked by civilians then ripped by those creatures. I think where passed confidential here_" Rodger's growled.

"_Fine my name is Captain Cross but that's all you need to know_" Cross replied testily.

Steve was about to continue interrogating the man when a low groaning caused them both to turn their heads. One of the infected was getting to its feet, it was a girl she couldn't be much older than 18. She began shuffling towards them her mouth open and her glazed eyes fixed on them.

"_I'll take care of this then we'll finish our conversation_" Cross said drawing his pistol and training it at the girl.

"_What are you doing?_" Steve asked shocked as he watched the man callously train his pistol on the girl "_You can't kill her she's just a kid._"

"_We killed them just now and you didn't seem to mind_" Cross replied not lowering his weapon.

"_That was different, it was kill or be killed situation. I don't know whats going on but these people are sick, they need help_" Steve insisted.

"_Sick huh?_" Cross replied still staring at the girl. "_These people aren't sick, they aren't even people! All they know how to do is kill. If they were living breathing people could they walk away from this?_"

***Bang* *Bang* *Bang***

The girl was knocked back slightly by the force of the shots but didn't stop her advance.

"_That's three rounds in the chest! Why is it still coming?_" Cross shouted angrily, this whole situation had started to get to him.

Steve looked on, shocked at the sudden burst of brutality. "_Stop it_" he growled.

***Bang* *Bang***

Two more bullets ripped into the girls chest but still she didn't falter in her stride.

"_Now it's got no lungs! Why is it still coming?_" Cross shouted again.

"_Stop it! That's enough!_"

"_Yeah I've made my point I believe that is enough_" Cross agreed, he then walked up to the girl put the barrel against her head and pulled the trigger.

Steve watched in horror as the girl's body slumped lifelessly to the floor. As Captain of the Marines Steve wasn't a person to be governed by his emotions but as he saw the girl fall to the floor blind rage took over. He launched himself at Cross throwing a punch aimed at the mans head but was surprised when the soldier spun round inhumanly fast to block the blow. Cross used the momentum from the block to spin and aim a kick to the back of Steve's neck but it never made contact as the Marine lifted his shield and parried it. For the next few seconds they fought, although neither of them actually landed a blow as they both dodged, parried and countered each other. Finally they stopped and took a few steps back, sweat pouring down their foreheads.

"_You really want to help these people? Then put a bullet in their head_" Cross gasped breathlessly picking up his weapon and holstering it.

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>Watching 'The Walking Dead' helped me out with this chapter as I had writers block :D I'll try and wrap the Idaho Incident up in its next chapter as i'd like to concentrate on the main story line.


	35. Let The Hunt Begin

**Dana's Safehouse, New York, 1:30pm**

"_Who are you calling?_" Dana asked as she watched her brother pick up the phone and begin punching in a number.

"_I've learnt all I can from the drive but there was a phone number for Karen Parker in her file_" Alex explained as pressed the last digit and brought the phone up to his head.

"_Oh the blond you thought you might have been banging_" Dana said as she sat down.

"_Are you really my sister or did you get a sex change at birth? I thought girls took offence to language like that?_" Alex asked jokingly, earning a glare from Dana.

"_Ok the blond girl you thought you where 'making love too' on a regular basis_" Dana replied using her fingers to represent quotation marks.

"_Condescension is very unattractive in a girl. No wonder you don't have a boyfriend_" Alex quipped back quickly ducking as a cup of water narrowly missed his head. "_Ok its ringing. You can throw more stuff at me later_" Alex replied as he heard the telltale ringing sound through the receiver.

"_Hello?_"

"_Is this Karen Parker?_" Alex asked hoping the number wasn't a dead end.

"_Yes. Who is this?_" She had a velvet feminine voice that sounded eerily familiar.

"_Ermmm I don't really know how to begin here_" he began, quickly trying to think up something to say.

"_Look I don't know who this is but…Wait your voice sounds familiar_" the woman on the other end said suspiciously.

"_Karen its Alex_" he finally blurted out, he couldn't think of anything else to say and at least he would be able to tell by her reaction if she actually knew him.

"_Is this some kind of joke?_" Karen's voice was cold and accusing.

"_Listen I…_"

"_I don't know what Blackwatch is playing at but you guys already have people posted outside my house if you want to know something just f***ing ask. Go tell your boss to give you something more productive to do with your time instead of impersonating dead people_" she snapped before hanging up the phone.

"_Shit_" Alex said as he placed the phone on the table.

"_Dead end?_" Dana asked looking at her brother quizzically.

"_No, she didn't believe I was me_" Alex sighed sitting down opposite Dana.

"_You gonna ring her back?_"

"_I can't. If I do she might mention it to Blackwatch thinking its them and then they'll know that I'm trying to make contact her. That could make getting to her rather tricky_" Alex replied.

"_Well she did pick up the phone right?_"

"_Yeah. Why?_"

"_I might be able to track the number to an address but I'll only be able to do it if the transmission went through_" Dana said picking up the phone and walking into the study.

A few minutes later she remerged with a sheet of paper in her hand. "_I'm afraid you didn't keep her on the phone long enough for me to get an exact location but I got an approximate location within a 1 mile radius_" Dana said rather disappointedly.

"_That should be enough. Karen said that Blackwatch where watching her, I'll just look for the building with the armed guards outside_" Alex replied as he took the map from her and began walking towards the door. "Discretion is probably the best course of action in the case" he thought as he walked out into the street and hailed a taxi.

"_Where to son?_" the cab driver asked as Alex climbed into the back seat.

"_Can you take me here?_" he replied passing the map to the driver.

"_Sure. Any particular street?_"

"_No, if you could just get me to the center of the circle on the map I can make my way from there_" Alex replied as he slumped back into the seat.

"_Right you are_" the man said as he slipped into first gear and pulled out into the road.

"I can't believe this but I actually think I prefer running over rooftops than ridding in a car" Alex thought as he watched the passing traffic out the window. "_My way is certainly faster_" he murmured as the cab stopped in front of a red light.

"_What did you say son?_" the cabby asked turning his head slightly.

"_Nothing I was just thinking out loud_" Alex replied still not looking away from the window.

"_So what do you do?_" the man asked as the light went green.

"Oh great, now I'm going to have to talk" Alex thought irritatedly. "_I'm a scientist_" he replied truthfully.

"_A scientist huh? You found out how to stop global warming yet?_"

"_Yeah, don't appoint liars as world leaders_" Alex replied letting his head fall backwards.

"_Ah a skeptic huh?_"

"_As a scientist I have to consider all the possibilities even the less conventional ones_" Alex continued as he stared at the roof of the cab.

"_So you reckon the government keeps a lot of secrets from us?_" the man asked as he flipped the indicator and turned down a road.

Alex smiled if only this man knew what he'd been through then he'd know the answer. "_You have no idea._"

"_Well, here we are son_" the cab driver said a few minutes later as he pulled over onto the curb a few minutes later.

"_Keep the change_" Alex said as he handed the man some notes and got out of the cab. "Well looks like I'm going to have my work cut out for me" he thought as he looked at all the buildings lining the street where he was standing.

After looking down two rows of buildings he still hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. Either he was in the wrong place or Blackwatch did understand the meaning of subtle after all. He was about throw caution to the wind and take to the rooftops when he saw a large apartment complex in front of him. Something about the building was familiar he couldn't tell exactly what it was but it was almost as if he'd seen it before. As he crossed the road and drew closer to the building he began to recognize more things about it. "I've definitely been here before" he thought as he walked up the small flight of stairs leading to the door. As soon as he entered the building his head began to throb as memories flooded back into his mind.

"_Alex?_" The voice echoed in his head. Turning he saw a woman standing at the entrance of one of the elevators in the hall.

"_Karen?_"

"_Alex you look like hell. You work too much_" she replied smiling.

He blinked and she was gone. "Must have been a flash like my dream" he thought as he rubbed his forehead. He walked up to the elevator where he'd seen Karen and stood in front of it. Alex didn't like elevators, he wasn't claustrophobic, it must have just been the feeling of having no control he disliked. Looking around he spied a stairwell a little further down the hall. Pushing the door open he looked up at the huge flight of stairs above him. What made matters worse wasn't the enormous amount of apartments on each floor but also the fact he had no idea which floor she was on.

15 minutes later he'd scoured the first 3 floors with nothing to show for it and was in the process of making his way to the 4th floor. "_This would be so much easier if I could see where those Blackwatch b******s are_" he mumbled as he ran up the stairs. Then he stopped. "Wait maybe I can" he thought as he remembered what had happened in the sewers. He'd been able to see in the dark because his eyes had tuned themselves to bounce what little light was in the tunnels off the walls to create the illusion of sight. If he could tune his sight to pick out light spectrum's he should be able to tune them to pick out other things, like body heat, at least that was his theory. Staring in front of him he tried to project the image of a human in front of him so his eyes would have something to adjust to. His vision flashed in front of him, the light was so bright he had to close his eyes. He attempted to open them again but was blinded by the same searing light. "Crap I must be using night vision again" he thought as he willed his vision to return to normal. "_Honestly Alex what did you think was going to happen? You were just going to think it and suddenly you'd be able to see through walls? For a scientist your pretty f***ing stupid_" he growled to himself frustratedly.

Angrily he struck the wall to his right shattering some of the plaster. His vision changed abruptly to a blue haze then flashed back to normal. "What the hell was that?" he thought blinking trying to get the blue haze to reappear again. He knew he'd just done it. Alex remembered that rattlesnakes hunted their prey using heat and that blue haze was exactly what he remembered seeing on nature shows when the program wanted to show people how the animals hunted. Remembering how he'd felt when it had happened he tried to recreate the feeling. He'd been angry that he couldn't find Karen. Focusing he tried to get it to reappear but nothing happened. Then he realized he hadn't been angry that he couldn't find Karen, he'd been frustrated sure but not angry. The thing that had really annoyed him was that he couldn't see the Blackwatch agents, he couldn't see his prey. His vision blurred and was replaced by the blue haze looking up he could see everyone in the building, not clearly of course but as blurs of red and yellow representing their body heat. "So that's how my abilities work" he thought smiling, they didn't simply appear randomly they adapted to their environment to make him more effective at finding what every other animal spent every waking moment looking for. "Food its making me better at finding food, its turning me into a more effective predator" he thought, it all made sense now, the claws, the night vision, the speed, the strength they had all benefited him in searching for and killing his prey. Although he thought he'd gained the claws from killing the hunters he was wrong, he probably already had the ability to make them but it was only when he'd seen the hunters using them the virus had seen how they had been used to make the hunters more effective at catching prey and mimicked them. Shaking his head he snapped back to the task at hand. Staring upwards he looked for anything out of the ordinary. There on the 8th floor. There where two people standing outside the door that led to the stairs and another two were standing outside what must have been the elevator door. "Let the hunt begin" he thought as he ran up the stairs as fast as he could.

**New Avengers hide out, New York 1:30pm**

"_Where have you been?_" Carol almost screamed out as Peter walked in the door.

"_Carol I…_"

"_And what's more where do you get off deciding what we should and shouldn't know!_" she continued getting to her feet and walking menacingly towards him.

Peter looked puzzled for a moment then he noticed the guilty look on Logan's face. "_Listen I couldn't tell you all because if you 'd known all of you would have been distracted and…._"

"_Still what gives you the right to decide what we should and shouldn't know!_" the blond woman said stopping right infront of Peter and looking directly into his eyes. Peters eyes wandered to her lips and briefly he remembered the feeling of them being pressed forcefully against his own.

"_Well!_" Carol snapped, becoming impatient at his lack of a reply.

"_Look webs I understand why you did what you did but we have been doing this a long time and we know how to keep our emotions in check and which priorities to put first_" Clint said looking at Peter.

"_You think just because you got infected we would stop saving people and save your ass?_" Jessica snapped.

"_Well that's really reassuring, at least I know who not to turn to when I'm in trouble_" Peter replied jokily.

"_Hey! I don't really care that your infected and that you lied to us in fact if you died I'd finally get to add blue to my costume without being called a copycat!_" Deadpool suddenly piped up "_but if you start stealing my thunder as the funny guy in this story I will be mad at you along with the rest!_"

"_Where did you go anyway?_" Wolverine asked ignoring Deadpool.

"_Well if you didn't like me keeping the fact that I'm infected from you guys then you're going to hate this_" Peter admitted looking away from Carols blue eyes, that looked like a hurricane over the ocean at that point.

_"I just got back from H.A.M.M.E.R_" Peter said and watched as his words sank in.

"_WHAT!_" Carol screamed "_YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND WE WOULD HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT IT!_"

"_We'd probably have heard about it on the web_" Deadpool said smiling slightly at the pun.

Ms Marvel turned her murderous gaze to Deadpool. "_I SWEAR IF YOU MAKE ANOTHER JOKE! JUST ONE I WILL..._." Carol growled advancing on him.

"_Stop don't fight it's not necessary_" Jessica said putting herself between Deadpool and Carol.

"_Blasphemy all fights are necessary!_" Deadpool piped up indignantly.

"_Ok Wilson you aren't helping, me and you are gonna take a walk_" Logan said grabbing Deadpool by the arm and pulling him towards the door.

"_Oooooo can we go to that Mexican restaurant down the road? Did you know I can order Chimichanga's in 7 different languages?_" the mercenary said excitedly as Logan threw him roughly through the doorway.

"_Don't bother Logan we need to get this sorted and unfortunately hes a part of it now_" Peter sighed.

"_Awww does this mean no Mexican food?_" Deadpool groaned as he reappeared through the doorway.

"_DON'T AVOID THE QUESTION WHY THE F*** WOULD YOU GO TO H.A.M.M.E.R ALONE?_" Carol screamed again, she was angry no scratch that she was livid.

"_Look we needed them and I thought as I was already…._"

"_I DON'T GIVE A CRAP WHAT YOU THOUGHT. YOU DON'T JUST GO OFF AND TALK WITH OSBORN AND HIS GANG OF MERRY LUNATICS ON YOUR OWN_" Carol continued.

"_Merry maniacs would have been funnier._"

Carol turned back to look at Deadpool. "_What did you just say?_" she asked the mercenary in a surprisingly calm tone.

"Dear god Wilson don't say another word" Logan thought as he waited for the inevitable to happen.

"_Merry maniacs would have been a funnier line, I mean it rhymes_" Deadpool replied cheerfully.

All the other Avengers held their breath they knew what happened when Carol was like this especially when you start answering rhetorical questions. With lightning speed Carol appeared in front of the smirking mercenary and stuck him hard on the head. Deadpools neck broke and his head spun round until he was facing the opposite direction and he slumped to the floor. It was then Carol snapped out of her bloodlust.

"_God I didn't kill him did I?_" she asked slightly horrified.

"_Don't worry about it hun_" Deadpool said as he got back to his feet, his head swinging at a sickening angle "_It's not the first time a hot blond chick broke my neck and it won't be the last._"

"_Look as Clint said we know why you did what you did Pete_" Cage suddenly said, being the first person brave enough to interrupt Carol. "_But you can't decide these kinds of things by yourself. I know you're used to flying solo but that's not how it works here_" he finished eyeing Peter sternly.

"_You're right I knew I shouldn't have done it but I did it anyway. I'm sorry I worried you guys and I promise it won't happen again_" Peter replied earnestly.

Most of the Avengers seemed appeased by this, they knew he'd only gone alone because he wanted to keep them out of harm's way, even Carol looked a bit calmer but she still gave Spider-man looks that would kill if they could.

"_Hey guys guess what I am!_" Deadpool suddenly piped up breaking the silence. The Avengers turned wearily to look at him. Deadpool was in the process of spinning his head round on his broken neck. "_Look I'm an owl_" he said as his head span round to face to face them.

"_Dear god let's just get to H.A.M.M.E.R. Part of the deal was they have to keep him_" Peter sighed watching as Deadpool's head made another 360° turn.

"_Every cloud has a silver lining_" Logan replied brightening.

**Meanwhile at Karen's Apartment**

Alex ran through the door, he'd had enough of being stealthy, right now all he wanted to do was vent. The two guards didn't even have time to react before Alex's claws where plunged into their chest. As they fell to the ground the two men at the elevator noticed his arrival.

"_Holy shit, is that Zeus?_" one of them managed to gasp out as he raised his weapon. On Alex's mental command two tendrils sprang from his arm impaling the two men to the wall before they could fire a shot. Alex watched as the bodies slumped to the floor and through his heat vision observed as their bodies went from red to blue. It didn't take him long to find the right apartment as there was only one that was in use, Blackwatch must have cleared the others out. He pushed open the door and felt the lock brake as he did so. As he entered the hall more visions flooded his head. This flash was of a more intimate nature he could feel her hands on his skin, her breath in his ear.

"Snap out of it" he thought shaking his head to get rid of the memory. He walked into what must have been the living room. Unlike his apartment this one wasn't tidy at all, books lay on the floor, pieces of paper where scattered on the tables and even some empty pizza boxes lay strewn on the floor. "Well it looks like opposites really do attract" he thought looking at the messy room.

Suddenly he felt the barrel of a gun being pressed to the back of his hood. "_You picked the wrong day and the wrong person to steal from_" came the familiar velvet voice he'd heard on the phone earlier.

Although he knew a bullet through head wouldn't do much except tickle him, he wasn't really in the mood to explain to Karen why her boyfriend had come back from the dead and could suddenly take bullets through the skull and not even flinch. Quickly he spun round grabbing the barrel and wrenched the pistol from her grasp.

"_Alex?_" she gasped as she finally saw his face. "_I thought you were dead! They told me you were dead!_" she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. Alex just stood there not quite sure how to react. It was as Karen pulled away to look at him again she noticed the yellow eyes.

"_Your infected_" she gasped stepping back quickly.

"_I know this is a lot to take in but hear me out!_" he said, trying to get her to listen.

"_What happened to you Alex? When you were outside GENTEK you told me to run and that you had some insurance policy. What did you do?_" she continued eyeing him suspiciously.

"_Insurance policy?_" Alex asked confused, he didn't remember that part in his dream.

"_What's going on?_" she asked again, fear beginning to show in her face.

For the next few minutes Alex explained what he could about Greene, Blackwatch and H.A.M.M.E.R to her, leaving out the part about him absorbing people.

"_So you don't remember anything?_" she asked as he finished.

"_Bits keep coming back in flashes_" He admitted as he slumped back into a chair.

"_So what are you going to do next?_" she asked sitting down next to him.

"_I guess my next move is to try and find Ragland or McMullen. In fact I'd hoped you might know something about them_" he said turning to her.

Karen brushed a lock of blond hair out of her eye thoughtfully. "_Well Ragland was arrested and taken to a facility for breaching the secrecy contract and McMullen, god only knows where that psycho is_" Karen finished.

"_You know what the facility is called?_" Alex asked, already planning his next move.

"_I can do better than that. I've got its location and name_" Karen said getting to her feet.

"_Ok I can deal with that later right now we need to get you to a safe location. Have you got a place you can stay that Blackwatch wouldn't know about?_" He asked, he knew he could take her stay with Dana if he had to but logically it would be safer if they weren't all in the same place. That way if they only found one of their locations it wouldn't be game over.

"_Well I have a distant cousin who lived in Queens for a time and as far as I know both he and his aunt have moved to the city but the house is still in the family. I could probably hide out there a while_" she replied.

"_Go pack some things and we'll go now_" Alex said also getting to his feet. Karen nodded and made her way to what must have been her bedroom.

A noise startled Alex it was faint and crackly but definitely a voice. Cautiously he approached the door that led out of the apartment and opened it. Following the sound he found a radio strapped to one of the dead soldiers, the voices coming from it seemed panicked. He put the radio to his ear and listened.

"_Send everyone we have if this isn't contained quick we are all f***ed"_ one of the voices was shouting_. _

_"I've alerted Cross, him and his team are on their way, so are McMullen's new pets_" another voice replied.

"_Let's pray to god that's enough._"

"_Shit! Some news team has pulled up in a boat._"

"_What?_"

"_Check CNN and you'll see what I mean._"

"_Shut them down! Shut them down now._"

Alex dropped the radio and ran back into the apartment and switched channels until he found CNN. He was greeted by a man dressed in a suit and written at the bottom of the screen as breaking new was '**Ryker's Island Under Siege.**'

"_What can you tell us about what's going on there Tom?_" came the voice of one of the news anchors.

"_Well Diane as you know Ryker's Island is a high security prison where the most dangerous of our criminals are kept and it seems some kind of revolt is going on. The last batch of prisoners that where shipped in turned on the guards"_ the man in suit said pointing to the island from his boat.

Just then Karen walked back into the room and stopped dead when she saw the television.

"_Tell me that's not the prison where Ragland is_" Alex said turning to her. She nodded. "_Did Greene know where he was being held?_" Alex said as he began moving towards the door.

"_I don't know. It's possible, Ragland and McMullen where the only two who spent any time around her_" Karen said following him to the door case in hand.

"_Where is Ryker_?" Alex asked.

"_It's in the middle of the Hudson you can't really miss it_" Karen replied.

"_Ok you get to your safe-house, I've got to get to Ragland before Greene does_" Alex said as he opened the door.

"_Wait here's my address in Queens_" Karen said handing him a piece of paper.

Alex nodded then ran out of the door and down the stairs as fast as he could. He didn't know why Greene needed Ragland, maybe to help make more BlackLight but whatever the reason it couldn't be good.


	36. The Idaho Incident: Conclusion

**Town Of Hope, Idaho August 8th 1968, Black ops mission dubbed Spearhead, 4pm**

"_What the hell is going on in there?_" one of the soldiers asked lowering his weapon as Taggart approached the perimeter.

"_That's a pretty accurate description actually, it's like hell in there_" Taggart replied as the soldiers let him pass through the barrier.

"_Private! The General wants to speak with you_" one of the men shouted from a tent that had been put up to house Blackwatch's communications equipment.

"_How did he know I was back?_" Taggart questioned approaching the tent.

"_Are you kidding the General has been keeping an eye on everything that's going on here_" a soldier replied handing him a radio as he entered the tent.

"_Is this Private Taggart?_" came the general's deep grating voice.

"_Yes sir_"

"_Are you alone?_"

"_No, there are other agents here as well_" Taggart replied.

"_Put me on to the com's chief_" the general demanded and Taggart handed the radio back to the soldier who had given it to him. The man looked confused for a minute as the general barked orders at him but he agreed and the he told the rest of the men to leave before handing the device back to Taggart and following the rest of the men out of the tent.

"_Was SpearHead successful?_"

"_The results seem to suggest it was_" Taggart replied.

"_And Greene?_" Randall asked.

"_Negative on contact sir but it seems she was able to create new infected. I was attacked by these mutated creatures _just before I left the town _that definitely weren't from project RedLight _" Taggart replied thinking back to the hunter that had almost killed him.

"_Speaking of which why have you returned early from the mission?_" Randall asked a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.

"_Cross commanded it_" Taggart lied, there was no way he would have risked his neck going further into the town when the choice was leave or continue.

"_So Cross is now in there alone? I heard the rest of your team was killed_" Randall asked no compassion in his voice.

"_There is one remaining man from the government team with him_"

"_Ah so they did arrive_"

"_Yes but the infected took care of them for us_" Taggart replied.

"_Some of my sources told me that Project Rebirth's prototype was on the team any information on that?_" Randall asked a note of intrigue in his voice.

"_Well the only survivor was a man dressed in dark blue and who's primary weapon was shield_" Taggart replied thinking back to Captain America's shield crashing into the hunters head.

"_Is there anyway to get a message to Cross?_" the general asked.

"_For some reason we are unable to get through to him. Some sort of interference is stopping the signals_"

"_That's a shame McMullen really wanted a sample of Rebirth_"

"_I'll see what I can do sir_"

"_Keep this up private and you might make Colonel someday_" Randall replied before ending the transmission.

* * *

><p>"<em>So that's your plan? Blow this place sky high?<em>" Steve said looking at Cross sternly.

"_If you've got a better suggestion pretty boy I'd like to hear it_" Cross replied irritably. They were almost at the laboratory and thus far hadn't encountered any problems.

"_What happened here anyway?_" Steve asked, he didn't understand what was happening and he didn't like that.

"_I'm pretty sure that's above your pay grade pal_" Cross replied as he peered round a corner. Steve was about to argue but he realized it was useless. He was pretty sure that if it came to it this man would prefer to die than tell him anything he didn't want to.

"_Are you sure there's no way to reverse the effects of whatever the hell this is?_"

"_Of course there is. I don't suppose you have 80 million dollars, the best scientists in the world and about 5 years of available time in all those pockets do ya?_" Cross replied sarcastically. "_Look if it makes you feel any better I don't particularly want to do this either but if this escapes and spreads we are all f***ed_" he finished as they crept towards the large laboratory in front of them.

Cross held up his hand to signal to Steve he wanted him to wait. Although Steve didn't like taking orders from a guy he didn't even know he wasn't stupid. Whoever this guy was he obviously knew what was going on here and how these creatures worked, he'd have been suicidal not to listen to him. Cross knew where they had to get to, there was a large hanger near the back of the lab where all the supplies where kept all they had to do was get to the hanger, place the charges and then run like hell. A few minutes later after walking through countless laboratories they arrived at the hanger. Steve peered round the door into the large area and to his dismay saw it was crawling with infected.

"_Now what?_" Steve asked turning to Cross.

"_Looks like we're going to need a distraction_" Cross said as he observed the infected, reaching down to his belt he pulled out a flash-bang. "_As soon as this blows we both move. If you can keep them off me until I've placed the charges we'll have a shot_" Cross said as he pulled the pin out of the device and threw it into the hanger. As soon as they heard the sound of the grenade going off they burst into the room. Steve struck the nearest infected with his shield, the already disorientated creature fell to the floor clawing and snarling. Cross broke away from Steve and ran towards the creates at the left side of the room delivering blows to the infected that stood in his way. They fell easily, the flash-bang seemed to have completely taken out their sense of direction and they stumbled around clumsily. As soon as he reached the creates he pulled the symtex from his belt and pressed it onto the creates and programmed the remote detonator.

"_You done yet?_" Captain America yelled as he quickly incapacitated another 2 infected. The effects of the flash where starting to wear off, their attacks where getting more precise and although they probably could have handled all of them in an open space where there was room to maneuver, Steve knew it would be hopeless in this confined space.

"_Ok done! F*** discretion run like hell_" Cross shouted as he plowed through the infected towards the way out of the hanger closely followed by Steve. They ran through the lab as fast as they could quickly taking down any infected that blocked their passage.

"_We have to get further away so I can blow this hellhole_" Cross said as they finally escaped the complex. He took the rifle off his back and began to run down the deserted street. An infected stepped out into the street and Cross quickly shot her in the head but to his shock the woman didn't fall. Her head snapped back from the force of the bullet but she didn't crumple to the floor as the rest had done. The woman placed her hand on the back of her head and pushed her head back to the proper angle with a sickening snap. Cross looked at the red haired woman in front of him with horror. He'd never seen anything take a shot to the head an simply shrug it off.

"_You!_" Steve said stepping forward menacingly.

"_A friend of your's?_" Cross asked, not taking his eyes of the woman.

"_More of an acquaintance_" Steve replied as he tried to think out a way of dealing with the threat. Greene smiled as spikes began to erupt from the ground in front of her. Cross quickly leapt to the side to avoid impalement. Something was wrong, the infected shouldn't be able to survive a shot to the head let alone use abilities like that. Whatever she was they weren't prepared for it.

"_We've got to leave we don't have time for this_" he shouted at Steve just as hunter jumped him from behind. The beast smashed his head into the ground and everything went black.

"_Shit_" Steve cursed as he saw Cross's limp form underneath the hunter. He threw his shield and it struck the hunter in the side throwing it off Cross, before rebounding off a wall and returning to his hand. Quickly he knelt down beside Cross and felt his pulse to his relief he still had one. Steve then turned his attention back to the assailants. Just then the infected who were inside the lab came crashing out of the building. Steve looked at the horde and knew he didn't stand a chance against all of them. He bent down and threw Cross over his should and began to run. As he ran down the streets an idea came to him, he ran over to one of the many abandoned cars in the road and prayed that it would have a key in the ignition. Luckily for him it did, the owner must have abandoned it. Steve threw Cross into the passenger seat and started the car up. Turning to look back he quickly went into reverse, to back out from behind another abandoned vehicle. As the car lurched back he felt the thumps as the wheels crushed the infected who happened to be to close. The car was a sports car, a blue ford mustang to be exact and the engine growled in anticipation as it shifted into first gear. Steve pushed the accelerator to the floor and began speeding down the street as fast as the car would go. Taking a quick look out the back window he saw that the infected couldn't keep up, the hunters on the other hand taken to the buildings and where running at break neck speeds along the sides of the houses their claws raking the walls.

***Thump***

The car shuddered as one of the hunters leapt from one of the buildings onto the roof of the car. Steve pushed himself against the car door to avoid getting stabbed as the creatures claws ripped through the metal above. Holding the wheel with one hand Steve reached over and pulled Cross's side arm out of its holster. Pointing the pistol at the roof of the car he let off shots until he heard a shriek and knew that one of the bullets had hit their mark. The car shuddered again as the creature rolled off the roof onto the road behind them. Another hunter leapt at the car latching onto the right side of the vehicle. It climbed quickly along the side until it had its head through the passenger window. Steve lurched to the left pushing himself against the car door to avoid getting mauled by the hunter as it snapped its long serrated teeth dangerously close to his arm. The beast began to pull itself into the speeding vehicle still trying its best to take Steve's arm. He was about to let go of the wheel and risk the car crashing to take care of the monster when a knife was shoved into the beast's head from below. Cross sat up in the passenger seat and pushed the dead hunter back out the window.

"_Your still alive then_" Steve said as Cross sheathed the knife.

"_Looks like it. What happened with the red haired b****?_" Cross asked rubbing his head.

"_You got jumped. I was going to try and take her out but there where to many of them_" Steve admitted as he turned the wheel violently to avoid a bike that was lying in the road. "_Here, make yourself useful_" Steve continued reaching down with one hand and handing Cross his pistol. Taking the weapon Cross lent out of the smashed passenger window. There seemed to be two hunters left following them. Cross took aim at the nearest and shot it, the creature fell from the building and lay on the ground motionless. Cross quickly turned his attention to the second. He trained the sight on the creature as it scurried along the walls.

***Click***

The roof of the gun snapped back."_You could have at least told me there was only one bullet left_" Cross growled as he fumbled with his belt for another clip.

"_I was a little busy saving both our lives to know how many bullets I'd used_" Steve replied still keeping his eyes on the road.

Cross pushed the new clip into the weapon but it was too late the creature launched itself at the car. Landing on the side it grabbed Cross and almost succeeded in throwing him from the vehicle but he managed to grab the car window frame as he was pulled out. Cross kicked the creature in the face but it shrugged off the blow and swiped its clawed hand in his direction. Steve looked quickly to his right and saw what was going to happen. He swerved to the left giving Cross the momentum he needed throw himself away from the blow. Cross threw himself onto the roof of the car narrowly avoiding decapitation. The creature quickly followed him. The force of the wind was incredible Cross had a hard time just being able to see as his face was pelted with air but luckily the hunter seemed to be having the same trouble as it swiped its clawed hands blindly in front of it. Ducking as one of the clawed hands veered in his direction Cross aimed a kick at the creatures legs in an attempted to throw it off the car. The creature snarled as Cross's blow hit home but its claws where buried into the metal of the car roof and they didn't dislodge.

"_Tunnel!_"

Cross's attention was briefly diverted by Captain Americas voice. "_What?_" he shouted back, barely able to understand anything through the rushing air.

"_TUNNEL!_"

Looking ahead of the car Cross saw what Steve was referring to, it wasn't really a tunnel so much as a large stone bridge. Quickly he threw himself to the floor wrapping his arms around the roof of the car. Unfortunately for the hunter it didn't notice as its entire attention being on Cross.

***Crunch***

After the car exited the other side, Cross climbed off the roof and slid in through the passenger window. "_How come when that happens in movies it's never this messy?_" Cross groaned as he wiped blood off his face and threw what looked like part of the hunters trachea out of the window.

"_Holy shit_" Steve yelled swerving as spikes erupted from the ground in front of the car. The car did a barrel role before finally coming to a halt a few feet away. Gingerly both Captain America and the Specialist pulled themselves free of the wreckage. Greene stood a few meters away a look of slight amusement on her face.

"_What are you smiling about witch?_" Cross growled as he pushed his arm back into its socket.

"_I find it funny that you're still resisting the inevitable, this is the future_" the redhead replied.

Cross took a quick look over his shoulder he could just make out the perimeter Blackwatch had set up. "_This won't kill us but it's gonna hurt_" Cross said turning to Steve.

"_What?_" Steve replied confused. Cross pulled the detonator from his belt. "_Here's your future b****!_" he growled as he pushed button. The explosion was deafening and the force was so huge it threw them from their feet even at that distance. A few minutes later Cross's eyes opened and he pushed some rubble of himself and got to his feet. "_Steve?_" he called coughing up dust as he did. Then he saw the familiar blue costume partly covered by dust and bricks a few meters away. Pulling some of the debris away he checked his pulse and felt the telltale throbbing sensation. The only reason he wasn't laid out on the ground next to Steve was because of RedLight's healing factor. "Well if I'm still standing I guess it's too much to hope that woman is down for the count" Cross thought looking around the destruction for the woman. Then he saw her, she had just pulled herself from the rubble and had a look of pure rage on her face.

"_YOU IDIOT! YOU ALMOST KILLED US_" she cried as she leapt at him with lighting speed.

"Us?" Cross thought as he jumped to the left. Her fist slammed into the ground reducing the bricks and concrete beneath it to dust. "What did she mean by that? She obviously wasn't referring to me and Steve was she? Why should she care what happens to us?" Picking up one of the many bricks lying on the ground Cross slammed it into the back of her head, it smashed into pieces as it made contact and her head lurched forward briefly before she grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground. Cross watched as her fingers became long serrated claws a lot like the ones the hunters possessed. Reaching out Cross grabbed the closest thing he could to defend himself, which turned out to Captain America's shield. Quickly he held it over himself as Greene's claws swung towards him. They hit the shield so hard Cross felt the force push him into the ground but to his surprise her claws didn't even scratch the shield, whatever it was made of must have been tough. Moving the shield out of the way he threw a punch directly in her face. She staggered back and shook her head trying to compose herself. Cross didn't waste any time she had been weakened and he wasn't going to stand around and wait for her to get her act together. Getting to his feet he threw the shield towards her and it struck her in the stomach. She buckled over and Cross quickly went in for the finish using every ounce of strength he had left, he pummeled her until she didn't get up. Exhausted he fell to his knees. After a few minutes he got back to his feet and made his way over to Steve bending over he threw the man's arm over his shoulder and picked up the shield.

"That was almost too easy. She could take a bullet to the head but I was able to beat her to into submission? Surely she's more durable than that." He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. Perhaps he'd just caught a lucky break, he was definitely owed one. "I better get him to the perimeter" Cross thought looking at Steve. He owed the man his life for not leaving him back when the hunter jumped him, the least he could do was return the favor.

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>I wanted to finish the Idaho Incident in this chapter but there are a few last things that need to be explained and it seemed rushed trying to cram them all into this chapter so there'll be one more small chapter to sum up the events and tie up the loose ends. I'll try and get one more Chapter up before Christmas as i'm going to be pretty busy after that so I won't really have time to do any writing but in case I don't Merry Christmas everyone!


	37. We Should Split Up

**Ryker's Island, High security facility for the criminally insane and superhuman, 2pm**

"_What the f*** is going on_?" one of the prisoners yelled through the door of his cell as a group of guards burst into the hall carrying another injured man and began barricading he door.

"_Shut up_" one of the guards snapped back at him. The guard then picked up his radio "_We're in a f*** load of trouble here. Those things aren't stopping, power has already gone down in part of the prison if those things shut down the main power and the Vault's defenses go down we are gonna have every single superpowered maniac tearing this place apart. Get reinforcements down here now._"

Just then the lights flickered and one of the cell doors opened. "_Well would you look at that_" the prisoner said stepping out of his insulated cell.

"_Get back in your cell now Dillon!_" one of the guards shouted nervously pointing his weapon at the man.

Before anything else could happen the barricade caved in and a hunter jumped through followed by a few infected guards and inmates. They attacked the guards biting and clawing until they stopped moving.

"_So I guess you're not here to break us out_" the man said eyeing the infected that surrounded him. The first one leapt at him but the man simply raised his arm and a burst of electricity flashed from his hand striking the infected sending it sprawling to the floor. The rest of them launched themselves at the man in rapid succession. "_Oh please_" he said as energy began to surge out of him striking every infected around him, sending them crashing into the walls twitching as the enormous volts of electricity coursed through them.

"_So Max you just gonna stand there zapping them all day or are you gonna let us out?_" another prisoner growled leaning against the door to his cell. The other prisoner was tall, had long brown hair and dark eyes.

"_I didn't know we were on a first name basis Victor_" Electro replied as he read the name tag above the prisoner's door. "_Victor Creed? What kind of name is that anyway?_" he continued as he snapped his fingers and the locks containing that row of prisoners opened.

**Dark Avenger's**

Osborn's jet landed on the helipad. "_What's the situation?_" the Iron Patriot asked the prison guard as he walked down the ramp.

"_The new inmates we were transporting suddenly just flipped out. So far some of the facilities power has gone down but we have diverted every available resource we have to keep the Vault on lockdown_" the guard replied.

"_The Vault?_" Cross questioned as he and the rest of the Dark Avengers walked down the ramp.

"_It's a special part of Ryker where the real bad egg's are kept_" the soldier replied.

"_Make sure the Vault stays locked down if someone like Caine Marko gets out we'll have a real problem_" Osborn grimaced.

"_Ok let's go tear some holes_" Venom said eagerly swinging towards the prison entrance.

"_Hold on!_"

Cross turned his head in the direction of the voice and saw a large muscular man dressed in Blackwatch attire walking towards them.

"_My name is Lieutenant Sampson_" he said as he reached Cross and shook his hand. Cross looked at the man in shock, he was huge standing at almost 7ft tall and bristling with muscle.

"_I guess you're one of McMullen's subjects_" Cross replied looking the giant up and down.

"_Yes sir, myself and my team have been sent to help you_" the giant replied.

Looking past him Cross saw another three men approaching all equally as big as the man standing in front of him.

"_Dam_" Bullseye said looking at the men in front of him "_you need to lay off the steroids guys!_"

"_Enough let's get moving_" Osborn said turning his attention back to the task at hand. "_Put the whole island on lockdown nothing gets out!_" he continued turning to the one of the guards who was gawking at the four giant new arrivals.

"_Looks like we'll have to split up_" Cross said as they entered the first part of the prison.

"_Venom you and Ms Marvel take section 1_" Osborn said turning to the pair.

"_Ooooo goody_" Venom leered moving towards the door. He was secretly very pleased. Since he'd arrived on the island he'd felt the pull his other always got when Spider-man was nearby and the feeling seemed to be coming from that direction. Gargan didn't care that a truce had been formed between them, besides what Osborn didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Moonstone rolled her eyes but followed Venom through the door.

"_We'll take the Psychiatric ward_" Sampson suddenly said before Osborn could continue giving out the teams.

"_Ok Hawkeye, Wolverine section 2 is yours, me and Cross will take maximum security_" Osborn finished.

**Alex**

Alex stopped at the pier looking over the water at Ryker's island. Karen was right it was pretty un-missable. In fact he wondered what had possessed the government to build such an eye-sore in the middle of the Hudson. "Looks like I'm going to be getting wet" he thought looking at the water beneath him. He lowered himself into the murky liquid. With his enhanced speed and strength the journey wouldn't take long. As he drew closer he could hear shouting, gunshots and screaming. "It must be utter chaos there" he thought as he reached the dock where the prison ships where tied up. He quickly scaled the wooden dock and was greeted with utter carnage. The whole dock was strewn with bodies, infected, prisoners and guards lay on the ground in a bloody mess. Whatever had happened here seemed to be over. The assault must have progressed into the prison itself. Looking at the structure he could see why all the most dangerous criminals where brought here. It looked like a giant safe, nothing short of an army could break in or out easily. As he looked at the building Alex noticed a large hole had been made in the wall. "I only hope I'm not to late" he thought as he ran through the hollow.

**Avengers**

"_No way!_"

"_Wade come on!_" Logan growled.

"_Nope, no way, nada, non, nein and I'm out of ways to say no_" Deadpool replied staying firmly rooted to the spot.

The Avengers had been on their way to H.A.M.M.E.R before the news had reached them that Ryker's was under attack so they had a quickly changed course and arrived at the facility. Everything seemed quiet at the entrance they had arrived at the fight must have progressed into the prison but for some reason Deadpool didn't seem too keen on the idea of entering it.

"_You're dam right I'm not keen on the idea! I saw what was written just now about who's in there!_" Deadpool mumbled.

"_Let's just go_" Carol said sighing and making her way towards the entrance.

"_What about him?_" Danny asked gesturing towards the mercenary.

"_Just leave him_" Carol replied sourly.

Deadpool watched as The Avengers entered the prison then he turned and began walking in the opposite direction. Suddenly he froze "_Oh crap I realize what's going on now! You're trying to write me out of the story! Well screw you!_" he shouted before turning around and running after the team.

"_Looks like a war zone in here_" Iron fist commented as they entered the prison, doors had been ripped from their hinges and blood splattered the walls. The area they were currently standing in wasn't actually part of the prison itself it was large room that had multiple doors leading to different parts of the prison.

"_I guess we should split up_" Luke said looking at the row of doors in front of them.

"_Oh you've got to be kidding me! You guys really don't watch horror movies at all do you? Whenever someone says that and they actually split up stuff always happens! Its like the law of every horror movie EVER made. One minute your walking down a deserted hall the next you look behind and threes some guy in a suit of armor moving everytime you do or theres those creepy eyes that hide behind portraits that just stare at you!_" Deadpool mumbled sourly from behind them.

"_Shut it Wilson_" Logan growled before turning to Spider-woman. "_Me and Jess will take Section 1_" he said gesturing to one of the doors.

"_Me and Danny will take Section 2 then_" Cage replied.

"_Ok Clint, me and Deadpool will take the psychiatric ward_" Mockingbird said pulling Deadpool towards the door.

"_Well this is some severe 'deja vu' i'm having_" the mercenary quipped as Mockingbird pulled him by the arm through the door. "_Except the orderlies weren't fit blonds! Well, they where in my dreams but generally they where large men with body odor problems!_"

"_Well I guess that means you and me are taking maximum security_" Spider-man said turning his large white eyes to Ms Marvel.

**Section 1, Ryker's island a few minutes later.**

Jessica and Logan had explored most of floor one not coming across much except a few random escapees who they quickly subdued and returned to their cells. Although it was certain infected had passed through there as every now and then they would find a dead hunter or a mutilated corpse they hadn't actually seen any live ones in fact it was eerily quiet.

"_Where do you think the rest of the criminals and infected are?_" Jessica asked puzzled looking around for some kind of clue as to what happened to them.

"_I think I might have an idea_" Logan replied gravely, looking into an exceptionally large cell.

"_What is it?_" Spider-woman asked as she approached.

Inside the cell was at least a dozen dead inmates and lot of other dead infected and 2 hunters.

"_What did this?_" Spider-woman gasped looking at the blood drenched cell.

"_No idea_" Wolverine said as he approached one of the dead inmates. "_You ever seen anything like this?_" he asked as he bent down to get a closer look at one of the dead men's faces.

"_Like what?_" Jessica asked puzzled.

"_Take a look at their faces_" Logan replied getting back to his feet.

It was then Jessica noticed it too, all of them had some kind of burn of part of their face.

"_Nope this a new one for me_" she replied as she looked at an especially ugly scar on one of the dead hunters. "_We better find whatever is doing this before it kills more people_" Jessica said walking back out of the cell.

"_Well they are in prison so they probably did god only knows what to other people to get put in here_" Wolverine replied following her out of the room.

"_That's not the point people don't die on our watch_" Spider-woman snapped back.

"_Jeez ok don't get your webs in a twist lets go find what's doing this_" Logan replied holding his arms up in defeat.

They continued on into the next set of prison cells. "_That's odd_" Logan said stopping and sniffing the air.

"_What is?_"

"_Pete said he was going to maximum security with Carol right?_"

"_Yes_" Jessica replied puzzled.

"_Well I can smell him_" Wolverine replied "_and he's very close._"

"_Maybe the 2 sections connect or maybe he and Carol found that maximum security was a dead end and came back_" Spider-woman suggested.

Before Logan could reply something burst through a wall to their right and slammed with a sickening crack against the opposite side. Venom got gingerly to his feet just as Moonstone crashed into the wall beside him.

"_Looks like Osborn's boys made it here_" Logan growled looking at the pair.

"_Who the hell are you? And how do you feel just like the Spider?_" Gargan growled as a man stepped through the giant hole Gargan's and Moonstone's impact had made.

Logan and Spider-woman observed the new comer, he was tall, had a long brown hair that fell about his face untidily, his whole body was obscured by a black suit with white patterning and his eyes where cover by a pair of small white eyepieces. The man ignored Venom completely and turned slightly to look at the Avengers. Gargan followed his gaze and finally a noticed Wolverine and Jessica.

"_Oh great you're here too_" he growled.

"_The feeling is mutual_" Jessica snapped back.

"_You ever seen this guy before?_" Jessica asked turning her attention back to the stranger.

"_Nope, but he smells just like Peter_" Wolverine said looking at the man "_he must have been the guy I caught the scent of just now._" Just then Venom leapt back into action launching himself at the unknown man but he was quickly thwarted as the stranger moved quickly to his left and ploughed his elbow into his jaw sending him flying backwards. The man then turned his attention to Logan and Jessica.

"_How come you smell just like Spider-man bub?_" Wolverine growled claws snapping from his hands.

"_You're friends of Parker's?_" the stranger finally spoke.

"_Yes we're friends of Peter's_" Jessica said letting her guard down slightly.

"_Wrong answer!_" the man growled as he launched himself at the duo with incredible speed. Ducking under Wolverines blades he delivered a blow to his head sending him careering backwards. Quickly Jessica charged and fired multiple venom blasts in an attempt to incapacitate the man but to her surprise he dodged them all effortlessly, with the same precision and agility she'd only ever seen Peter exhibit, before finally leaping to the ceiling.

"_He moves just like Pete_" Logan said getting back to his feet and brushing of a few pieces of plaster. "_Except he's stronger_" the mutant continued rubbing his jaw.

"_Why are you helping Parker? It's because of him I'm in constant pain and have to wear this suit simply to stop myself falling apart_" the man growled from the ceiling.

"_For someone who doesn't like Pete that much you sure are a lot like him_" Wolverine countered "_I mean not only are you sticking to walls but you also seem to have his abilities not to mention his scent. So c'mon who are you? Some copycat? some kind of mutant perhaps?_"

"_A copycat?_" the man growled dropping back to the floor.

"Oh crap" Jessica thought, she could here the rage in the man's voice as he repeated Logans words. He must have hit a nerve.

"_My name is Kaine_" he replied fists clenched. "_And pluh-leeeez I may have Parkers powers but I'm so much more creative with them_" he added before placing his hands on the wall behind him.

"_Holy shit_" Jessica breathed as she watched the man rip the entire wall from the concrete that held it in place effortlessly.

"_Well this is gonna hurt_" Logan sighed as Kaine turned and threw the giant mass of concrete and brick straight at them.

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>A lot of the bad guys who appear in the next few chapters won't be in the story for the very long I just thought as they where in Ryker's why not put the characters against enemies they wouldn't normally even meet let alone have to fight.


	38. The Idaho Incident: Aftermath

**Town Of Hope, Idaho August 8th 1968, Black ops mission dubbed Spearhead, 6pm**

Cross sat mulling over the events that had transpired in the communication's tent that was positioned in the center of the camp.

"_Captain!_"

The voice startled him. Looking up he saw a Blackwatch officer looking at him expectantly.

"_Yes?_" Cross sighed, he'd hoped he'd get at least a few hours to recuperate but apparently that wasn't the case.

"_General Randall just arrived_" the man informed him.

Cross shot to his feet "_Where is he?_"

"_He has literally just arrived. He's getting out of a jeep on the outskirts of the camp."_

Cross made his way quickly out of the tent and soon he could make out the familiar man in the light brown military suit.

"_General_" he greeted walking over to Randall hand extended.

"_Ah there you are Captain_" Randall replied grasping Cross's hand and shaking it firmly.

"_You didn't need to come all the way down here sir_" Cross said, following the General as he made his way towards the command post.

"_I know that Captain but I wanted to see first-hand what RedLight was capable of in the wrong hands_" Randall said as he entered the tent. "_McMullen will be here soon as well. He's interested in seeing what the virus did to Hope and he's very interested in this Greene woman._" As he said this two Blackwatch soldiers walked in pushing a metal stretcher. Cross instantly recognized the red-haired woman restrained to the stretcher with titanium shackles.

"_Sir, with all due respect she's too dangerous to keep alive_" Cross replied eyeing Greene nervously. She seemed to be unconscious but Cross still didn't like being this near her.

"_I agree Captain but shouldn't we find out how this happened before we go around terminating leads?_" the general replied.

"_Well let's find out now_" Cross insisted turning to one lab members in the tent. The man moved over to Greene and began examining her.

"_We should wait for McMullen_" Randall said turning to Cross.

"_That bitch killed my team and damn near killed me. I'm not going to wait for McMullen to show up to find out what the f*** she is_" Cross growled giving Randall an icy glare, momentarily forgetting that he was talking to his superior. Randall glared back but he didn't protest.

A few minutes later the examiner printed a page and walked over to Cross.

"_Well what can you tell me about her?_" Cross asked.

"_It's really quite incredible. The virus has bonded with her on a cellular level. She, if you can call her a she, is the RedLight virus there's almost no trace of human DNA left in her_" the man replied handing Cross the page.

"_You said almost no human DNA. What do you mean by that?_" Randall asked looking at the woman strapped to the stretcher.

"_Well sir I found strong traces of hCG in her bloodstream_" the scientist replied.

"_Whats hCG?_"Randall asked confused.

"_Human Chorionic Gonadotropin_" Cross gasped before the scientist could reply.

"_Well don't keep me in the dark what the f*** is that?_" Randall asked frustrated.

"_It's a hormone that is produced in large amounts during pregnancy_" Cross replied staring at Greene. Of course it all made sense now. The way she had referred to herself as "us" and how he had been able to take her down so easily. Fighting for that period of time in that condition must have put a tremendous strain on her.

"_Pregnancy? Well that's a surprise_" Randall said approaching the unmoving woman. Cross couldn't quite put his finger on it but there was something strange about the way he'd said that. Almost as if he was pleased about it.

"_Sir I don't think you should be standing so cl….._" Cross didn't have time to finish his sentence as Greene lurched in the restraints grabbing Randall by the arm and digging her claws into his flesh. The General yelped as he felt them break his skin. Cross reacted quickly grabbing Greene's arm and wrenching Randall from her grip. Pinning her arm at her side, he pressed the barrel of his pistol to her forehead. "_more restraints_" he growled to the shocked Blackwatch soldiers, all the while keeping his eyes firmly locked on Greene who was smiling menacingly at him. "_Are you ok sir?_" Cross asked turning his attention briefly away from Elizabeth. What happened next caused Cross to grow some respect for the man who called himself the leader of Blackwatch.

Randall quickly picked up one of the machetes lying on the weapons table to his right and then without any hesitation sliced off his arm at the elbow, just above the wound Greene had inflcited. Blood gushed out of the stump and the other half of Randall's arm fell onto the floor. "_Jesus_" Cross gasped running over to the general as soon as the new restraints had been applied. "_Get him to the medical ward_" Cross said lifting the general to his feet and handing him to the a pair of Blackwatch soldiers.

"_I must say I'm impressed_" Greene said, watching as Randall was taken out of the tent. "_He didn't even hesitate to take his own arm to stop himself becoming like my other pets_" she continued, laying back and looking at the roof of the tent. Cross didn't reply but simply glared at her.

"_Where's your friend?_" Greene said turning her head to look for Captain America. "_That little explosion didn't kill him did it?_" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"_How about you shut up or I put a bullet through your skull_" Cross said, raising his weapon.

Elizabeth laid back again pretending to pout. "_You're no fun at all_" she replied. Suddenly her head snapped back around and she stared at Cross. She was looking at him differently now, as if she had just noticed something she hadn't before. _"You're like me_" she gasped _"I didn't notice it before but you are I can feel it. I can feel it radiating from you but I can't connect to you like I can the others its..._" Before she could continue a man in a lab suit burst into the tent.

"_Robert my boy how are you feeling?_" the man said walking over to Cross and shaking his hand over-enthusiastically.

"_McMullen_" Cross greeted returning the gesture.

"_Oh please my boy we are on a first name basis, call me Raymond. So this our little anomaly?_" McMullen asked peering at Greene through his glasses.

"_Yes this is her_" Cross confirmed, turning back to Greene who was still eyeing him intently.

"_Listen Robert, I heard that Project Rebirth is in the medical tent how about bringing me a sample of his blood and let me get on with what I have to do here?_" Dr. McMullen said handing Cross a syringe.

Cross knew this was just a ploy to get him to leave and had he wanted to stay he would have but as it stood he couldn't stand to be around Greene a moment longer.

"_Why are you working with them? You could be something more, something like me_" she said as he walked past her.

"_Go to hell! I'm nothing like you and I never will be_" he snapped back.

"_Oh really? Why do you think that out of all the people in that town I'm the only who turned out like th…_" Greene wasn't able to finish her sentence as McMullen pushed a large taser onto her neck and shocked her. She spasmed briefly then passed out.

"_I prefer it when my test subjects are quiet_" the Doctor muttered placing the taser on the stretcher.

Cross took one last look at Greene and hoped it would be that last time he ever saw her, before walking out and making his way towards the medical tent. Steve was laid out unconscious on a padded stretcher and although battered didn't seem any worse for the ware. Quickly Cross pushed the needle into his arm and watched as the crimson liquid began to fill the container. After it was full he placed it into one of the many pockets attached to his jacket and turned to leave. It was on his way out he met two Blackwatch soldiers entering the tent.

"_Have you taken the sample?_" one of them asked.

"_Yes why?_" Cross replied, although he had a good idea what they were going to do.

"_The general said no loose ends sir_" one of them said as he tried to push past Cross but to the man's surprise the captain stood firm.

"_Forget it. Just leave him here when we pull out. No one will believe anything he says anyway with Hope in ruins and no proof. The general owes me for what I've done here and that man saved my life so go tell him that if he wants to kill him it'll have to be over my dead body!_" Cross growled. The men gave each other nervous looks but turned and went back the way they came.

Cross slumped to the floor leaning against the soft material of the tent. Images of the days events flooding his mind but the one that was most prominent was the one of the blond girls head snapping back as he shot her. He still hadn't forgotten what he'd promised during that moment. If ever he found out who was responsible for what had happened here, he would kill them.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes<strong>: Sorry this update has been so long coming. I know its only short but the next chapter is almost ready and will be up soon. I just wanted to tie up Idaho before moving on.


	39. Bad To Worse

**Ryker's Island, Psychiatric Ward, 2:20pm**

_"Get down!"_ Clint shouted as an infected launched itself at Mockingbird. She ducked and Ronin quickly struck the creature in the head with the blunt end of his katana sending it sprawling to the ground. They'd been pushing through the ward for the past twenty minutes.

The reason they were making such slow progress was mainly because of the confined space. The area they found themselves in was a long corridor which seemed to be the holding area for all the nut jobs that where simply to insane to keep in any other ward as it was lined with doors that led into small padded cells. Deadpool had currently run ahead and they could see the flash of his katanas and as they approached they could also hear his incessant monologue.

_"Stab your dead! Stab your dead! Stab your dead! Stab…hey wait a minute you're the first guy I killed"_ Deadpool said as he drove the katana's blade into the infected's head this time to make sure he stayed down. _"So which way now fellow Avengers?"_ he asked cheerfully as Ronin and Mockingbird approached.

_"Through there I guess"_ Mockingbird replied gesturing to a double door entrance at the end of the corridor. Ronin moved to the doors and pressed his ear against it. He was greeted by the familiar low moans and shuffling sounds of the infected moving around.

_"Sounds like there's a fair few of them in there"_ he said turning to his two team-mates before slowly opening the door. The room was the biggest they had come across so far it didn't take the team long to realize that this must have been the cafeteria. Tables and chairs lay spread across the floor and the infected climbed over them clumsily.

_"Crap doesn't look like we are going to be able to get through this way"_ Mockingbird said eyeing the infected that covered the dining hall.

_"Maybe if we can find some way of distracting them away from us"_ Ronin said thoughtfully.

_"I've got a flare"_ Mockingbird suggested pulling the dynamite like object from here belt.

_"Ok here's the plan we throw the flare to the other end of the room wait for those things to go check it out then make a break for it. They should be less dangerous if they're scattered"_ Ronin said turning from Mockingbird to Deadpool.

_"And what's plan B?"_ The mercenary asked as he flicked some blood off his katana.

_"We fight our way to the other side taking as many of them down as we can"_ Ronin replied as he prepared the flare.

_"That's a very solid plan. I like it. In fact let's make it plan A!"_ Deadpool said pushing past a very surprised Ronin his free hand already around the handle of the second katana.

_"Oh for the love of…"_

Ronin didn't hear the end of Mockingbirds sentence as he dived after Deadpool through the door. The mercenary wasted no time in attacking the surprised infected but it didn't take long for the rest of them to notice the disturbance and start to make their way towards the trio. Clint quickly dispatched an infected with a blow to the head as it attempted to attack Deadpool from behind.

_"You idiot can't you see how many of them there are?"_ Mockingbird shouted as she tripped one of the shambling infected.

_"You guys ever play Call of Duty: Black Ops?"_ Deadpool replied happily as his blade sliced through an infected's neck.

_"What the hell are you on about?_" Mockingbird snapped.

_"Black Op's, it's got a great Zombie mode"_ the mercenary continued cheerfully pulling his blade from the infected's headless body.

_"I don't see how that is relevant right now"_ Ronin growled as he threw an infected over his shoulder send in crashing into another.

_"Oh well if it's taught me anything about Zombies its this!"_ Deadpool replied as he quickly sheathed his swords and pulled out the pair of mini-uzi's attached to his belt. Crouching he pulled the triggers until the magazines where empty. The bullets ripped through the infected's legs and they fell to the ground snarling. Deadpool straightened up to survey his handy work.

_"See they aren't so tough once you blow off their legs. Isn't that right Sir Bites-alot?"_ He he continued bending down and patting one of the snarling infected on the head.

_"Well I have to admit Wilson that actually worked"_ Ronin replied in surprise looking at the creatures as the feebly attempted to pull themselves across the floor.

They made their way across the floor incapacitating infected as they went. When they got to the other end of the room there was only one left. It snarled and dragged itself in their direction. Mockingbird moved towards it preparing to finish the creature but as she raised her fist Deadpool quickly appeared beside her grabbing her hand before it could hit the creature.

_"Believe me, only idiots kill the last crawler"_ Deadpool said, as he put his hands on her shoulders and began to steer her towards the way out.

Ronin opened the door and walked through looking over his shoulder to make sure Mockingbird and Deadpool where following. As he turned round a hand come out of nowhere and he felt claws dig into his throat as the hand closed around his neck.

_"Well what do we have here"_ came a low voice.

_"Pointytooth buddy! It's been a long time."_

Victor Creed turned his head away from Clint, who was currently struggling to get the vice like grip off his neck, towards the sound of the voice.

_"Wilson!"_ Sabretooth snarled dropping Ronin and advancing on Deadpool menacingly.

_"It's been to long! Last time I saw you was that time ontop of that old nuclear powerplant. You and Logan where trying to kill me and I was shooting laser's from my eyes like f***ing Superman. Oh no wait that was just a nightmare I had where Fox made a movie with my origin in it"_ the mercenary continued seemingly unfazed by the fact that Sabretooth was almost on him.

_"By order of Blackwatch in co-operation with H.A.M.M.E.R I demand you lay down your weapons and turn yourselves over."_ The new voice startled the group and they turned to see four giant men dressed in Blackwatch uniforms moving towards them.

_"You'll have to wait Wade. Looks like security has arrived"_ Sabretooth growled stopping in his stride and turning to the new arrivals. Quickly he broke out into a run and launched himself at the nearest one. The soldier was taken by surprise at Sabretooth's speed and fell over as Victor landed on top of him. Another one of the soldiers quickly stepped in striking Creed in the head sending him flying off his team-mate.

_"Take them down"_ the first solder said coughing as he got back to his feet. Two of them advanced on Ronin but one of them was quickly engaged by Mockingbird who struck him in the stomach. Sabretooth was already back on his feet snarling and showing the trademark fangs that gave him his name. Deadpool quickly leapt to one side to avoid the massive fist of the third soldier as it veered in his direction. Victor was already rushing back to attack the man he had failed to kill the first time. The soldier was ready this time and braced himself for the attack. They collided with a sickening crack. The soldier grabbed Sabretooth's arm and using his other hand snapped the bones in his forearm. Creed snarled but didn't let up. His healing factor was already healing the broken bones.

**Ryker's Island, Maximum Security, 2:20pm**

Spider-man and Ms Marvel hadn't said a word to each since they had split up from the group. Peter had sensed that Carol was still immensely annoyed with him and had decided to keep quiet and let her make the first move. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't the quiet type and as the minutes passed it was getting more and more difficult to keep silent until finally he couldn't take it anymore.

_"I wonder if the others are having this much fun"_ he suddenly said as they turned a corner. Since they'd split up they hadn't encountered many problems a few small time super villains had gave them hassle but they had been quickly subdued and some infected that where wandering the halls quickly found themselves webbed to the ceiling. Carol turned her head slightly and glared at him.

_"Ah c'mon you're not still mad at me are you?"_ Peter replied, leaping to the ceiling deciding it would be safer to follow from up there.

_"Of course I am"_ Carol growled.

_"Look I've apologized I wasn't trying to insult anyone by going to Osborn alone. I know you guys could have handled yourselves it's just in my…ermm… condition I thought it would be safer"_ he replied as he scaled the wall.

_"You think that's why I'm mad?"_ Carol replied a slight note of surprise in her tone but it was masked by the anger.

_"It isn't?"_ Spider-man asked slightly confused.

_"No it isn't!"_ Carol snapped, stopping dead and looking up at the wall-crawler. _"The reason I'm so god damn angry with you is because you didn't tell any of your friends that you where dieing and that you think so little of yourself that you'd quite happily throw your life away on what may have been a wild goose-chase. Do you really think your life is worth nothing? Well maybe you do but there are people who don't"_ As she finished her sentence Carol mentally slapped herself.

Peter also felt as if he'd been slapped in the face as he processed the reason for her anger. Before he could reply the blond heroine had already started moving again following the signs on the wall that indicated the way to maximum security.

_"Carol, I'm sorry"_ said as he managed to catch up with her.

_"Whatever"_ she growled not even looking at him.

Now Peter didn't get angry easily it took a lot to wind him up but with everything that had happened this was the last straw._ "Ok that's it!"_ he shouted dropping down infront of a surpised Ms Marvel and straightening up to his full height. Carol was completely shocked she'd never seen Peter angry but even through his mask she could sense it radiating from him._ "The first time I come back to the Avengers in months and you don't even want to speak to me. After that we start getting along again, next thing I know Jessica brings you in half-dead and you practically suck my mouth off! Then when I go to try and get help on my own to keep you and the others out of harm's way, you hate me again? Seriously?"_ Peter continued still shouting. As he finished he instantly felt bad he hadn't meant to scream at her but it just slipped out. Carol stood there stunned, she thought she'd dreamt it but she had kissed him. As she realized this the sensation of his lips on hers came crashing back.

_"I don't hate you"_ she replied quietly _"I've never hated you."_

_"Then what's the problem?"_ Peter replied slightly sharper than he'd have liked too.

_"It's complicated. Can we talk about this later? Here isn't really a good place to have this conversation"_ Ms Marvel said as she pushed past him.

_ "Fine"_ Peter replied realizing she was right. Having a screaming match in the middle of a prison filled with super-villains and infected probably wasn't the best idea. As they continued Peter mulled over what she'd said in his head "It's complicated? What the hell does that mean. Why can't women simply say what they are thinking? It would make life so much easier" he thought. He was so distracted he almost walked right into Carol who had stopped and was looking at something.

_"What is it?"_

_"I realized this earlier but haven't you noticed? We've seen hardly any infected or prisoners recently"_ Carol replied. Now that she said it Peter realized she was right. Since their argument they had been walking for about 10 minutes and hadn't seen any sign of a threat.

_"I think someone may have already beaten us here"_ Carol said. Looking past her Peter could see the huge steel door that led to maximum security had been wrenched open and dead infected littered the floor.

**Ryker's Island, Maximum Security, A few moments earlier**

Alex grabbed the nearest infected and slammed its head against the wall before tossing it over his shoulder into another one. He'd be running non-stop since he'd arrived nothing had stood in his way for very long but now he was just outside Maximum security. He could see the huge metal doors. All he had to do was fight his way through the infected who were currently blocking his path. On his mental command he felt his arm reform into the large crescent blade. Although it was almost second nature to him now the sensation of every molecule of his body moving to reshape itself still felt strange. He lunged forward with a swiping motion, the large blade whistled as it cut through the air and Alex felt little to no resistance as it sliced through the infected in front of him, sending blood and gore flying.

A few seconds later he made it to the large doors. To his relief they seemed to be intact meaning he had got there before Greene. "Obviously she's run into some trouble" he thought as he struck the thick metal in front of him. To his surprise he only managed to dent the shimmering metal. "Obviously they really didn't want anyone getting out of there" he muttered. "Beating this thing in is going to take too long" Alex thought looking at the dent he'd made. Then he had an idea, using his bladed arm he pushed the tip of it between the two doors and used the leverage prise it open. His blade arm shifted back too normal and using both arms he prized the doors open hearing a snapping sound as the locking mechanisms broke. As soon as he walked through the doors he understood why this area was called maximum security there where gun turrets lining the hallway that led into the cellblock and all of them simultaneously opened fired as he entered.

Alex began running towards the doors, attempting to dodge as much gunfire as possible. Although it wouldn't kill him or even slow him down, he found that the more damage he took the more often he had to "feed" and he didn't want to be burdened down by that at the moment. As soon as he reached the other end, he kicked the opposing door as hard as he could it must have been weaker than the first one as it caved in under his foot. There were no guards in this part of the prison, everything was done robotically. Obviously it was still too dangerous for the guards to be here, even with all the prisoners in cells. As he walked through the large area he peered into every cell to see if he could spot Ragland, the photo of him he'd seen in Blackwatch's files firmly imbedded in his mind. He stopped to take a second glance into one of the cells. He'd never seen anything like it. The prisoner in question was secured firmly to the wall with what looked like a ton of metal the only part of his body he seemed to be able to move was his head. The glass must have been one-way as it didn't look like he could see Alex. "They took some very big precautions with this guy" he thought as he read at the plaque above the door.** Cain Marko : Warning Keep Secured At All Times**. Turning away he began look into other cells.

_"Hey, how about letting me out?"_

The voice startled him. Turning he saw a man dressed in prison clothes leaning against his cell door peering through the small window at him.

_"I'll think about it"_ Alex muttered as he walked past.

_"Awww c'mon we could have fun tearing this place apart"_ the man continued smirking and running a hand through his red hair. Alex ignored him the only person he was here to break out was Ragland. He was still surprised that Blackwatch had managed to pull this many strings to get Ragland put in here. As he looked into the next cell he saw him. Ragland was African-American about medium height and had short dark hair. He looked up as Alex tapped on the window and Alex saw a flash of recognition pass across his face. He turned to the control panel and was about to open the cell when a voice stopped him.

_"Hey why don't you make it easy on yourself and just return to your cell. I'm quite bored of playing 'put the villain back in prison'."_

Alex turned his head and saw a man dressed in red and blue followed by a woman. He recognized her, it was one of the women he had fought on the roof. Carol had known who it was even before he'd turned round she'd recognized the black jacket and hoodie.

_"That's the guy who attacked me and Jess"_ she said, instantly on the defensive. Peter instantly dropped the wisecracks and also dropped into a defensive stance remembering the injuries this man had caused Carol.

_"Give it up Alex your outnumbered!"_

Alex recognized the voice and turned to his left to see Cross and Osborn enter the prison hall. There must have been an another way in.

_"You guys are here too?"_ Spider-man asked in surprise, looking from Cross to Osborn.

_"Of course we are. This is technically my prison after all"_ Norman snapped.

_"Don't remind me. That in itself is a testament to how screwed up this country is"_ Peter replied sourly, eyeing Osborn. Suddenly an explosion rang out and a large part of the wall in front of Alex caved in.

_"Well isn't this one big reunion"_ Greene said smiling as she stepped through what was left of the wall. Cross looked from Alex to Greene, things had just gone from bad to total shit-storm.

_"She one of yours?"_ Carol asked looking past Greene to Osborn.

_"Unfortunately, no"_ Norman replied, he was currently thinking the same thing as Cross. Taking on both Mercer and Greene wasn't going to be easy.

_"I assume we still have a truce"_ Cross asked looking at Spider-man.

_"Oh that's hardly fair"_ Greene said looking from them to the Avengers. _"Alex how about me and you from a temporary alliance as well? We both want the same thing, maybe we could work something out?"_ She said looking at Alex and raising an eyebrow.

Alex contemplated this for a moment, he wasn't sure he could fight Greene 1 on 1 and win again now she was fully rested. So if after they had beaten the others she turned on him, he could be in trouble.

_"I've got a better idea. How about no f***ing way and instead of helping you I even the odds"_ Alex growled, quickly turning back to the control panel morphed his hand into claws and plunged them into the computer.

_"NO!"_ Osborn screamed firing a repulser blast but it was already too late. A few cell doors opened. A large cracking sound emitted from one of the cells and the huge man Alex had seen earlier walked out.

_"Feels good to be out of there"_ Marko said cracking his neck and turning to the group. _"Thanks for the help"_ the burly man said as he looked at Alex's clawed hand sticking into the control panel. _"Well look who's here. You're gonna be sorry you put me in here Osborn"_ the Juggernaut said flexing his fists.

_"I'm glad you came round to my way of thinking kid"_ the red haired man said stepping out of his cell. _"Nice claws by the way"_ he continued _"Want to see mine?"_ A red substance began to flow out of the man's eye sockets, mouth in fact absolutely everywhere it could. Long claws sprouted from his fingers, white lenses covered his eyes and pointed teeth protruded from his mouth. _"Hey web's long time no see. Who's the blond? She's cute I wonder how she'd look with her intestines wrapped round her neck"_ Carnage said turning his attention to Spider-man.

"Not good" Peter thought to himself looking at the current situation. Even Carol seemed nervous as she looked at the people surrounding them. "If we don't get back-up this is going to get really ugly, really fast" She thought, just as Alex launched himself at Greene.


	40. Ally And Enemy

**Section 2 Ryker's Island 2:20pm**

_"Whats up with you?"_ Bullseye asked as he watched Daken dispatch an infected.

_"Nothing. What are you talking about?"_ the mutant growled back.

_"We've only killed like 15 infected and you're already sweating. What gives?"_ Bullseye replied eyeing the breathless man.

_"It's nothing"_ Daken muttered as he decapitated another infected.

It wasn't nothing and he knew it. He was sweating profusely and every movement he made felt heavy. His right arm had started to shake but he'd managed to keep this from Bullseye by making sure he was always attacking someone. Something was wrong, very wrong. Suddenly a searing pain shot up his spine all the way to his head causing him to drop to his knees clutching his head in his hands.

_"Whoa, doesn't look like nothing to me"_ Bullseye said, stepping back in surprise.

"What's happening to me?" Daken thought gritting his teeth trying to dull the pain. Then it hit him. "The station…..the woman on the floor…..the bite…..feed….feed!...FEED!"

_"Holy crap"_ Lester exclaimed in horror as Daken's head snapped back up to reveal the misty grey eyes and the feral glare the other infected had. Daken's claws shot out and he swiped at Bullseye who rolled to the left and quickly taking an arrow from his quiver put it in the bow and shot Daken squarely in the head. The mutant staggered back but didn't fall over. Then to the Dark Hawkeyes horror he pulled arrow from his forehead and threw it to the floor snarling.

_"Oh great an infected with a healing factor"_ Bullseye said jumping backwards narrowly avoiding another strike from Daken. Luckily for him the infection must have dulled Daken's senses as his movements were not as precise or as smooth as they normally where. In fact they were the complete opposite, he was swiping around like a wild animal. Pulling a knife from his belt Bullseye span beneath another blow and brought the blade round in a circle slicing Daken's neck. Again the mutant staggered back but the wound healed up almost instantaneously. It was no use and Lester knew it. He didn't have the necessary tools to put Daken down here. Breaking away he began running down the ward. A few infected stepped out to block his path but a couple of throwing knives saw them eating the floor relatively quickly. Daken was still hot on heels and as he turned a corner Bullseye span round and fired an arrow into Daken's knee to slow him down. Daken buckled as the arrow severed the tendons in his leg but that wouldn't slow him down for long. Bullseye span back round and ran straight into something hard.

_"You"_ he exclaimed as he looked up at the large man standing in front of him.

_"Oh great you guys are here too?"_ Cage replied eyeing Bullseye distastefully.

_"I never thought I'd be happy to see you people. This is a genuinely new experience"_ Bullseye replied looking from Cage to Iron Fist.

_"Happy to see us?"_ Iron fist replied looking at Bullseye suspiciously.

_ "Yeah we've got a problem. It looks like my partner has the munchies"_ the assassins replied. Just then Daken rounded the corner, claws extended and teeth bared. He launched himself at the trio but was cut short as Iron Fist's foot came into contact with his jaw, sending him flying into a wall.

_"We need to find a way to restrain him"_ Lester said watching as Daken got back to his feet.

_"Really? You've never been the type to shy off killing someone"_ Cage said moving towards Daken.

_"I already tried an arrow to the head. Thanks to the kid's healing factor it didn't do jack shit"_ Bullseye replied sourly.

_"Looks like we have more than one problem"_ Iron fist said as he looked over his shoulder hearing the tell-tale snarling sounds. A group of about five infected was making its way towards them.

_"Is that Electro?"_ Bullseye asked as he squinted to see the middle figure. Just then a bolt of electricity flashed from the man's hand narrowly missing him.

_"Great, the infected where dangerous enough before they had super-powers"_ Iron Fist groaned as he span in the air to avoid another bolt.

Cage turned his attention back to Daken who was glaring at him menacingly. He was about to launch himself at the mutant when the wall on the opposite side caved in. The mass of debris fell onto the snarling mutant, burying him beneath it. Spider-woman pulled herself from the debris clutching her arm. As she got to her feet Logan came flying through the hole and smashed into her.

_"Logan? Jess?"_ Luke asked in surprise as his 2 team-mates got back to their feet. _"What happened to you guys?"_ he asked as he looked at the battered pair.

_"We ran into a bit of trouble"_ Logan snarled, his claws snapped back out and he ran back through what was left of the wall.

_"That's putting it mildly"_ Jessica said straightening up still clutching her arm. This Kaine guy had been throwing them around like ragdoll's since earlier. The man had admitted to having Peter's powers that must have included his spider-sense because as try as they might to hit him, he would always know where the blow was coming from and avoid it as if he were fighting children. Just then Wolverine came flying back through the wall again a bit further up the corridor, sending more debris flying into the opposite wall. This time Kaine stepped through turning his head away from Logan towards the others.

_"Who's this joker?"_ Cage said as he looked the man up and down.

_"He calls himself Kaine and he seems to have the same abilities as Spider-man"_ Jessica replied wiping some blood from her lips.

_"Danny you ok back there?"_ Cage called over his shoulder, checking to make sure his friend didn't need help before he attacked the newcomer.

_"Oh I'm just dandy"_ Iron Fist replied as he and Bullseye dodged another blast of electricity.

_"Look out!"_

Cage's head snapped back round and to his shock Kaine was standing in front of him.

"He's definitely got Pete's speed" he thought as he realized the distance Kaine traveled in such a short space of time. Luke didn't have time to raise his fist before Kaine slammed the flat of his hand into the side of Cage's head and smashed him into the wall to his right. Spider-woman aimed a venom-blast but Kaine's spider-sense must have tipped him off as he leapt into the air spinning to avoid the flash of green light. Kaine landed to her right and Jessica spun into a crouched position and tried to kick his legs from beneath him. Kaine leapt gracefully over her avoiding the kick and as he spun he grabbed her long black hair and pulled her down to the floor as he landed. Spider-woman didn't even have time to raise a hand in defense before Kaine's hand closed round her throat. Lifting her off her feet he slammed her into the wall and pulled his fist back ready to deliver the final blow. The blow never landed as the wall behind Jessica suddenly caved in as a figure was thrown through it. Sending both her and Kaine staggering back.

_"Deadpool?"_ Jessica asked surprised watching as the mercenary got back to his feet and shoved his arm back into its socket.

_"Yes female Spider-man?"_ Wade answered turning to look at her.

_"What the hell are you doing here? Weren't you meant to be in the psyche ward?"_ Spider-woman replied, confused by the mercenary's presence.

_"Well we were but then I got thrown through a few walls by a big muscly guy and everything kinda blurred from then on"_ the mercenary replied bending down to retrieve one of his Katana's.

_"Big muscly guy?"_ Jessica questioned. Just then one of the super-soldiers appeared and lunged at Deadpool.

_"This guy!"_ Wilson replied, narrowly avoiding the man's massive fist. Mockingbird and Ronin quickly appeared followed by the other soldiers and Sabretooth.

Luke, Kaine and Wolverine where soon back on their feet looking at the new arrivals and then to each other. For about 20 seconds no-one moved all of them surveying each other and weighing up their options.

_"If you guys aren't going to fight each other how about lending a hand?"_ Iron Fist suddenly shouted as he and Bullseye dodged another blast from the infected Electro.

_"You are all under arrest"_ one of the super-soldiers growled looking at the group in front of him.

_"I thought you guys were supposed to be our pal's now"_ Deadpool said pointing the tip of his sword towards the men. Before one of the soldiers could reply growling noises forced the groups attention to the other end of the corridor.

"_Shit! We're cornered"_ Ronin gasped as he realized the infected where attacking them from both sides and had them sandwiched.

_"We can settle our differences later if we continue this fight now we'll be ripped to shreds"_ Mockingbird said turning to the group.

_"Agreed"_ the Blackwatch captain replied. Even Kaine conceded nodding wordlessly in agreement. The group flowed together. Ally and enemy alike standing back to back against incoming infected. The infected crashed into them growling and bearing their teeth and where met with a barrage of blows that sent the first wave flying back. Wolverine ducked as an infected to a swipe at him and quickly countered kicking the creature back. Another one quickly leapt forward forcing Logan to jump backwards to avoid a bite as he did his back hit something.

_"Just like old times Jimmy"_ Sabretooth replied looking over his shoulder. Standing back to back with each other they quickly spun delivering blow after blow as the infected surrounded them. Their movements where so similar it almost seemed like a choreographed dance as blow after blow hit its mark.

Ronin drove his blade through the temple of an infected inmate and kicked the limp form to the floor. The handle spun in his hand until the knife blade was facing the other way and lashing out he drove it with precision into another attacker. As he pulled it back out he realized all too late that his flank was wide open and to his horror an infected appeared as if from nowhere. As he braced himself for the feeling of the teeth sinking into his skin a flash of green light stuck the creature in the head and it crumpled limply to the floor. Quickly turning he gave a nod of thanks to Spider-woman who was already onto her next foe.

As Jessica dispatched another infected with a kick to the head she came face to face with a hunter. The monster opened its gaping mouth and lunged forward. To Jessica's surprise a pair of hands shot out one grabbing the creature by the lower jaw the other by the top jaw.

Kaine didn't wait to see how the creature would react and using his strength he pulled his arms out-woulds ripping off the creature's lower jaw, sending blood spurting into the air. The creature stumbled back silently. If it had a tongue to scream in agony with, it probably would be using it right now. Kaine didn't let up and quickly put the hunter out of its misery by grabbing what was left of his head and slamming it into the corridor wall.

_"Bullseye top right!"_ Iron Fist yelled. Bullseye turned his head and saw the hunter as it ran along the ceiling towards them. Quickly he fired an arrow that struck the creature directly in the forehead killing it instantly. It fell to the floor crushing some of the smaller infected and thinning the heard for the group. Just then a flash of light struck him in the chest sending him flying backwards.

_"Would someone f***ing kill that guy already"_ the assassin shouted getting back to his feet and quickly rolling to the side as the infected Electro snarled again letting out another blast of energy.

_"That sounds like my queue!"_ Deadpool said as he teleported forward severing an infected's head from its shoulder. The infected behind the one he'd just killed lurched forward but to the creatures surprise Deadpool disappeared. As the mercenary teleported behind the confused creature he lashed out with his one of his katana's taking the head off the one in front of him while using the momentum to follow through and kill the one behind him.

**"Damn if this was a movie the special effects would be awesome"** his inner voice commented.

"Yeah and but I'd most likely look like Baraka from mortal combat_"_ Deadpool muttered, turning to his next opponent.

_"Deadpool we've got to take out Electro. You try and create an opening and I'll try and take him out"_ Iron Fist said as he dodged yet another bolt of energy.

The mercenary quickly teleported behind the infected villain and grabbed both his arms and locked them behind his back.

_"You better hurry! Sparky is getting annoyed"_ Deadpool yelled to Iron Fist as Electro began to poor electricity into him. Smoke began to rise from Deadpool's body as the intense concentration of power coming from Electro began to fry him.

**"After this is over shall we try our luck on Spider-woman?" **

"I don't know. If we got lucky wouldn't she eat us? Isn't that what spider's do?" Deadpool replied as Electro sent another burst of electricity through him.

**"I don't think she does and by the way that last blast just fried the part of your neural cortex that controls your leg muscles."**

"Really? I feel fine_"_ Deadpool said as he suddenly buckled and fell to the floor.

**"Told you.**"

_"Stupid biology always out to ruin me"_ Deadpool murmured as he passed out.

Iron fist had just reached the two as Deadpool collapsed and he quickly charged a punch and struck Electro. The strike landed home and the villain crumpled to the floor.

_"Wade? Are you ok?"_ Danny asked looking down at the burnt and smoking mercenary. Behind him the other's seemed to have dispatched their opponents.

_"Is he ok?"_ Jessica asked as she approached.

_"I'm sure he's had worse. If we give him a few minute he should recover"_ Iron Fist replied.

_"Hey do you eat your boyfriends?"_ Deadpool suddenly asked snapping upright and looking at Spider-woman.

"_What?_" Jessica asked confused.

_"Your boyfriends? Do you eat them? You know because female spider's tend to eat their mates"_ the mercenary said as he got to his feet.

_"What does that have to do with anything?"_ Spider-woman replied wearily.

_"Well I want to know exactly what kind of protection I'd need. Whether traditional or something stronger like a desert eagle"_ Deadpool replied as he sheathed one of his katana's. A bolt of green energy flashed from Jessica's hand striking Deadpool in the head, knocking him unconscious again.

_"Wasn't that a little harsh?"_ Iron Fist asked not being able to hide the small smile on his face.

_"He asked for that"_ Spider-woman replied sourly as she walked back to others.

_"So how do we deal with this?_" Luke asked eyeing everyone.

_"You're all under arrest and you're going back in your cell's"_ barked one of the super-soldiers.

_"Listen bub, we're on the same side and we ain't prisoners"_ Logan replied glaring at him.

_"You're Osborn's men?"_ the soldier replied lowering his guard slightly.

_"No, but we have an understanding"_ Luke replied before Logan could.

The man was about to reply but instead put two fingers too his earpiece as a transmission came through.

_"We'll secure this area you need to head down to maximum security that's where Osborn and our Captain are. Apparently they need back-up"_ the soldier replied looking at the Avengers.

_"Osborn's here?"_

The voice caused them to turn to Kaine. _"Good, he's mine"_ Kaine replied before breaking into a run.

_"I thought you said you were with us?"_ the soldier said turning to Luke angrily.

_"We are but he isn't with us"_ Luke replied as he and the other Avengers broke into a run.


	41. What Have We Done

**Ryker's Island, Maximum Security, 2:20pm**

_"Why do we keep doing this Alex?"_ Greene said smiling slightly, ducking as Alex's large bladed arm swung towards her. Quickly she delivered an uppercut to his jaw. Alex staggered back slightly but didn't stop his assault. _"This is pointless. We'll be at this all day"_ she sighed watching as the wounds they had inflicted on one another healed.

_"Fine by me I've got nothing better to do than try and kill you"_ Alex growled back. Quickly disengaging his arms he kicked Greene in the flank taking her by surprise as she was lifted off the floor by the force of the blow and sent crashing through the wall she had come from.

_"What's this guy's story?"_ Cross asked as he rolled to the side, avoiding a decapitating swipe from Carnage.

_"Ugly red Alien, psychotic, hates fire and sonic's. That's about it really"_ Spider-man replied spraying webbing onto the creature. As soon as the fight begun they had unconsciously broken into teams. He and Cross where dealing with Carnage and Carol and Osborn where dealing with Marko, leaving Mercer and Greene to fight amongst themselves.

_"Awww is that all you've got to say about me after all the fun we've had in the past"_ Cassidy replied smugly as he tore the webbing away as if it were paper.

There were a lot of villains in Peter's life and although he classed Osborn as his nemesis Carnage was the one who scared him the most. Cletus Cassidy had been a psychopathic murderer before the symbiote took hold of him. His first murder apparently committed at the age of 15. The creature truly was the definition of insane.

_"Is that really all you've got Osborn?"_ Marko replied smirking as a repulser blast hit him squarely in the head.

"We're in way over our head's" Carol thought as she kicked the Juggernaut in the stomach, whilst trying to blot out Carnage's manical laugh that was currently resonating through the room. Marko grabbed Osborn, wrapping his giant hand around his head.

_"You think this tin can is gonna stop me crushing you Normy?"_ the Juggernaut said as he slammed the Iron Patriots head into the floor.

_"Optical system non-responsive"_ the mechanical voice of the suit responded as Osborn's head smashed into the ground.

"Oh god I'm not really about to save Norman Osborn am I?" Carol thought as she watched Cain pull him back up and toss him against the wall. With slight hesitation she charged an energy blast and the flash of yellow light smashed into Marko.

_"You're actually defending this guy?"_ the Juggernaut growled turning to her._ "I thought you were supposed to be one of the good guys. Why do you care what I do to this creep?"_

_"On any other day i'd be in agreement but you haven't seen whats going on out there"_ Carol said as she used her superhuman speed to appear next to Juggernaut and strike him the head.

_"Puh-lease"_ Marko growled again, grabbing her leg as it made contact. _"I'm the avatar of Cytorakk you really think that could hurt me"_ he said slamming her into a wall. Osborn got back to his feet training his repulsers on Marko but before he could let off a shot a hand shot out, grabbing him by the visor and slamming him back into the floor.

_ "Hello Osborn"_ Kaine growled, delivering a blow to the Iron Patriot's chest.

_"Hey little man he's mine!"_

Kaine turned around to find the Juggernaut towering over him. _"Sorry pal no one is going to stop me from killing this piece of sh**"_ Kaine snarled back, dodging as Marko's fist narrowly missed him.

_"Why don't you two love-birds kill the heros first and you can divide Osborn between yourselves later"_ Carnage laughed as he forced both Cross and Spider-man into cover with a hail of blades produced from his symbiote.

_ "You take the blond she's annoying"_ Marko said glaring at Kaine.

_"Fine but if Osborn is dead when I get back you and me are going to have words"_ Kaine said as he leapt passed him.

Carol was already on her feet training another energy blast at the Juggernaut. Kaine quickly engaged her, uprooting one of the large control panels he threw it at her with all his strength. Ms Marvel hadn't seen his arrival and only narrowly avoided the large lump of metal. She quickly changed targets firing multiple blasts at Kaine. He avoided them easily using his agility and drew in closer. As Carol tried in vain to hit him she realized his movements were very familiar.

_"That hurt Alex"_ Greene said as she reappeared through the wall she had just been thrown through. She ran at him quickly aiming a blow at his head. Alex only barely managed to avoid her. Greene's speed was at least on par with his own and he didn't mind admitting he had a bit of trouble fighting her. As he drove his elbow into her stomach he took a quick look over his shoulder making sure Ragland was safe in his cell. To his dismay he saw the cell was empty. "Shit" Alex thought wildly scanning the room. This was enough of a distraction for Greene to get the drop on him. She grabbed his arm and twisted it in a direction it wasn't naturally supposed to bend. Alex gritted his teeth, although blows like that wouldn't cause him any damage they still hurt like hell.

_"So who the hell are you supposed to be?"_ Carol asked as she watched Kaine dodge all her attacks.

He didn't reply an simply closed the gap throwing a punch aimed at her abdomen. Carol countered throwing her own punch towards his head. To her surprise Kaine maneuvered in mid air summersaulting over her head and landing behind her. It was then she recognized the man's movements.

_"Peter?"_ she asked looking at the man. Kaine stopped dead at the name.

_"Don't call me that"_ he growled ducking under another blow and kicking Carol to the floor. The surprise allowed Kaine to get the upper hand and pin her to the floor. He placed one hand on her abdomen and she felt a kind of tingling sensation that suddenly became a horrific burning. She bit back a scream and struck Kaine in the face ripping his mask off. To her shock a scarred Peter Parker stared back at her causing her to freeze.

Cross rolled under another swipe from Carnage and kicked him in the back of the leg forcing him to his knee's. Quickly he un-sheathed a knife and drove it into Carnage's left temple.

_"Are you a telepath dude?"_ Canrage said turning his head laughing manically. _"Because I can feel you in my head"_ he finished grabbing the knife and pulling it out.

_"Well that didn't work"_ Cross muttered as he jumped back. As Carnage leapt at him Spider-man swung into the alien using the full force of both his legs to get some breathing room between them and Carnage. Unconsciously he turned to check on a Carol. He froze as what he was was a nightmare. He watched as Peter Parker tried crush the life out of Carol. Everytime he saw Kaine it reminded him of what he would look like as a monster and the more he looked at those features contorted in bloodlust, the more it scared him.

_"No!"_ he yelled punching Kaine in face sending him flying off Carol. _"Are you alright?"_ Spider-man asked worriedly as Carol got back to her feet.

_"Yes, he just caught me off-guard. Who the hell is that?"_

_"Hello brother"_ Kaine snarled getting back to his feet.

_"Brother?"_ Carol asked in surprise looking from him to Spider-man.

_"He's not my brother he's a clone of me gone badly wrong"_ Spider-man explained watching as the deformed copy of himself closed in quickly.

_"I'll handle him you go back and take care of ugly"_ Ms Marvel said pushing him aside.

_"Oi, Spider-guy could use some help here"_ Cross called as he tried to avoid another of Carnages blows. This time his speed wasn't enough and Carnage managed to stab him in the shoulder. Peter quickly leapt back into action punching Carnage in the jaw giving Cross sometime to recover.

Carol quickly turned her attention back to Kaine who was less than a foot from her already. Luckily she had trained with Peter in the past, this gave her a slight advantage as she knew his abilities.

_"So how does it feel watching your boyfriend try and kill you"_ Kaine snarled, blocking one of her blows.

_"Boyfriend? What are you talking about?"_ she replied taking another swing at Kaine.

_"Ha so he hasn't told you? He never was good with his emotions. Believe me the way he leapt at me like that just now to save you. He did it without regard for his own safety. Under normal circumstances that kind of mistake would have gotten him killed. It's the same type of leap he made to save Gwen. I should know I'm Peter after all"_ he said smiling slightly.

Ms Marvel shook her head, he was trying to use mind games. To an extent it was working, seeing Peter's face contorted in murderous anger was something she'd never seen and Kaine was taking advantage of it.

_"You're nothing like Peter"_ she said kicking Kaine in the right flank sending him flying back.

_"Oh really? I was cloned from his DNA. I am what Peter will become if he takes one step out of the light"_ he snarled, getting back to his feet.

This notion scared Carol. It was hard to believe that someone who shared Peter's DNA could be so vicious. The same DNA as the man who made her smile and wouldn't hurt anyone if he could help it. As Kaine leapt at her again rage took over and she grabbed him by the neck then slammed him into the floor.

_"I will not let Peter become anything like you"_ she growled, locking eyes with Kaine.

_"Good luck with that"_ Kaine replied smiling as Carol's punch struck him in the face, knocking him out cold.

At that moment the other Avengers bust into the room.

_"Don't worry fellow Avengers back-up has arrived!"_ Deadpool shouted jumping on Juggernaut's back. Marko brought his hands up to try and pull him off. The mercenary quickly avoided him and jumped in front of him sticking a small object to his stomach. _"That's the new special force's grade C4. Ten times the explosive damage as regular C4 but in half the size!"_ Deadpool smilied.

_"No it isn't! This is an Ipod with duct tape on it!"_ the Juggernaut said tearing the object off in anger and glancing at it.

_"True but I had you worried for a second there didn't I?"_ the mercenary replied in satisfaction.

_"Looks like the cavalry has arrived"_ Greene said briefly turning her attention away from Alex and looking at the new arrivals. Alex took this opportunity to take another look round for Ragland. Then he spotted him. The scientist was hunched over a control panel. He looked up and saw Alex was looking straight at him. Alex watched as Ragland finished typing on the keyboard and motioned with his head towards a door at the back of the room that suddenly slid open. Alex nodded to show he'd understood and motioned to Ragland that he should leave. "Now Ragland is out of harm's way I can cut loose" Alex thought as he watched the man disappear through the door.

The Avengers had overpowered their opponents and where now closing in on Greene and Mercer.

_"So what's it going to be? The easy way or the hard way?"_ Cross said looking at the pair.

_"Well now that Ragland is out of the line of fire I don't have to hold back"_ Alex replied staring at the group. _"Haven't you noticed the confined space we are in? Not to mention the fact I've fed recently"_ he continued smiling. Cross's eye's widened as he realized what Alex meant . Peter's spider-sense went haywire as if the word run was being written in his head in 50ft tall neon letters.

_"RUN!"_ Cross screamed, as Alex bent over and the tendrils began sprouting from his body. Even Greene looked on worriedly as she realized what Alex was about to do. This was bad, she hadn't fed enough since her escape and she didn't have the strength to contend with this. Still, she wasn't going to let Ragland slip away and copied Alex. Hundred's of tendrils erupted from Alex's and Greene's body lashing out in all directions.

Everyone began running back the way they'd came as the long red and black tentacles attempted to impale them. As they ran through the corridor with the huge metal doors, Carol and Osborn pulled them shut. They heard the slamming sound and saw the dent marks come through were the tendrils struck the metal.

_"God dammit that was too close"_ Cross growled looking at the door._ "We're being stupid"_ he continued. _"We can't overpower Mercer or Greene with brute force, their abilities are too destructive. We need to come up with a plan."_

_"How many times have you fed since you got out?"_ Alex asked smiling slightly as he realized Greene's tendrils weren't as strong as his and most of them simply bounced off his body. Greene wasn't having such a good time as she was riddled with Alex's blades. She didn't reply but instead let out a growl of frustration as she passed out and fell to the floor. The tentacles retracted and Alex straightened up. He was getting more used to using that ability but he still felt a little faint as he quickly ran towards the door Ragland had gone through.

Ragland was running flat out down the corridor he wasn't sure what to make of the situation. At first he'd been relieved to see Alex. Both of them had worked on project Zeus together until Blackwatch took matters into their own hands. When Greene had shown up however he knew he had to run. If she got hold of him she would have forced him to remake project Zeus and that strain in her hands would have been catastrophic. Then he'd seen how Alex could manipulate his biomass, it was Blacklight alright. He decided there and then to take a gamble and chose Alex over the others. Because of their history together and their shared dislike of Blackwatch he guessed Alex was his best shot at getting out alive.

_"Ragland!"_

He turned round and came face to face with Mercer.

_ "What did they do to you?"_ the Dr asked looking at Alex warily.

_"I'll answer questions later. Right now we need to get you out of here"_ Alex said grabbing him by the arm and ran down the corridor. A few infected stepped out in front of them but a few well-placed blows sent them crashing to floor. A few minutes later they reached the docks where Alex had first arrived. Ragland couldn't help but gag upon seeing the mangled bodies lining the floor.

"Dear god what have we done?" he thought as Alex pulled him into the water.


	42. This Was Never About Me

**H.A.M.M.E.R, New York, 3pm**

_"That was a disaster"_ Cross said looking round table at the group.

_"Ok bub, we need to know everything. Who is Alex Mercer and who was the broad?"_ Wolverine said as he lent against a window. The Avengers and the Dark Avengers where all in the debriefing room.

_"Alex Mercer was a scientist at Blackwatch. He worked on project Zeus along with Ragland, a man who was being held in Ryka. An unfortunate series of events led us to come to the conclusion that Mr Mercer was a liability. Unfortunately Alex didn't agree. He stole project Zeus from its lab and released it in the station a few weeks back"_ Cross replied.

_"You mean to say that man is the reason behind all of this?"_ Ms Marvel asked.

_"Yes. When he was cornered at the station he released project Zeus and my men shot him. We thought Mercer was dead and we contained the area but something went wrong, Mercer wasn't dead. The virus bonded with him and we lost control of the contained area."_

_"What about the woman?"_ Spider-man asked, thinking back to the red-head.

_"Her name is Elizabeth Greene. She is the product of an unfortunate accident that took place in 1968. Myself and man named Steve Rodgers put her down."_

_"Wait, Steve Rodgers? As in Captain America?"_ Iron Fist asked in surprise, recognizing his friends name.

_"The very same"_ Cross replied nodding.

_"Hey wait wouldn't that make you like 70 years old?"_ Deadpool piped up looking at Cross. _"Why aren't you all wrinkly and funny looking?"_

_"Like Greene I'm infected with a strain of the Redlight virus. It stops me from ageing and prolongs my life"_ Cross replied.

_"You're infected?"_ Osborn growled looking at Cross. The rest of the group looked worried now as well.

_"My strain of the virus was designed specifically for me. Don't worry I'm not contagious"_ Cross replied getting up and walking to the window.

_"What does Captain America have to do with this?"_ Spider-woman asked looking at Cross suspiciously.

_"When an outbreak of project Redlight escaped in Idaho he was part of the team of marines that where sent to investigate. Both out teams where wiped out, leaving me and Rodgers against the whole infected town. Somehow we managed to blow the place to hell killing all of them but Greene who was whisked away to some unknown location. That was the last I heard of her until my superior informed me they were going to try and use her to curb the infestation here" _Cross replied.

_"And how would she be able to do that?"_ Moonstone asked confused.

_"Greene is connected to the infected by a kind of psychic link. We thought if we could control her we could use her to control the infected. Unfortunately she had other plan's. When Mercer broke into his GENTEK facility she lured him to her and he freed her from where we had her restrained"_ Cross explained.

_ "Did Mercer know who she was?"_ Osborn asked trying to put a pattern together.

_"Yes but he's insane. He probably released her just to spite us"_ Cross replied angrily punching the wall next to him. _"What makes matters worse is that she seems to think of Mercer as some kind of mate. Fortunately Mercer doesn't seem too happy about being her boyfriend and isn't playing ball. This is good, as taking on both Greene and Mercer on the same team would be very problematic"_ Cross finished thoughtfully.

Just then two men entered the room._ "General"_ Cross said in surprise, upon seeing the familiar one armed man.

Randall looked at the team in front of him quizzically. The other man Cross now recognized as Callahan, the Blackwatch technician.

_"So where are we with the situation Captain?"_ Randal asked looked straight at Cross.

_"The spread is contained in the red zone for the moment but Greene and Mercer are still loose"_ Cross replied, still shocked that Randall had shown up personally.

_"And you are?"_ Osborn asked curtly.

_"General Randall head of Blackwatch and chief funder behind project Blacklight"_ the man replied.

_"You created this?"_ Wolverine growled getting to his feet claws extended.

_"Not personally no. I just gave them the money to create it"_ Randall replied calmly, completely unperturbed by the mutant. _"I heard one of your team is out of action"_ he said turning back to Cross.

_"The mutant Daken is currently secured in H.A.M.M.E.R due to his infection"_ Cross confirmed.

_"Do you have a replacement member?"_ Randal asked turning to Osborn.

_"Two of my men haven't been called to fight yet. One of them is mentally unstable and the other is in some kind of prayer trance. Something to do with honoring the Gods"_ Norman replied.

_"Well I suggest you get him to stop praying and get his ass to the frontline"_ Randall replied shortly._ "Callahan has something for all of you. As it is hard to tell who is and who isn't infected Callahan has come up with a unique little contraption that monitors brain impulses and can tell if the person being scanned is indeed infected or not."_

With that the short scientist produced a large brief case and placed it on the table. Opening it he revealed many watch-like devices. Each of the group walked over and took one.

_"Why is mine beeping now?"_ Deadpool asked as he slipped the device onto his wrist.

_"Strange it shouldn't"_ Callahan replied surprised, as he turned to the mercenary who was currently standing next to Randall _"It can't be Cross as I already added him as an exception to the scanners list."_

_"It's probably because of him"_ Cross replied, gesturing towards Spider-man.

_"You're infected?"_ Callahan asked turning to Peter.

_"Yes"_ Spider-man replied as he slipped his own device onto his wrist.

_"I'm very sorry"_ Callahan said sincerely _"You can program them not to react to people who you already know are infected by disabling the reading of their brain signals."_

_"Cross you are to concentrate all your resources on Greene. Alex is a lower priority. We know what will happen if Greene gains complete control over all the infected here. The only thing currently slowing her progress is the fact this is Zeus's strain of Blacklight, a strain she is unfamiliar with"_ Randall ordered as he left, closely followed by the scientist.

_"Well this thing isn't going to cure itself"_ Peter said getting to his feet and walking towards the door.

_"Wait if you're going to screw around in my labs I want to be there!"_ Moonstone groaned getting to her feet as well. Carol also followed, not very keen on the idea of her evil doppelganger being alone with Peter.

_"Wilson I'm going to need you too"_ Spider-man said, turning to look at the mercenary who was currently pressing every button on the scanner to see if he could make a tune out of the beeping noises. Sighing Deadpool got to his feet and followed them.

**Dana's safehouse, 3pm**

_"What took you so long?"_ Dana said as Alex walked through the door. _"And who is that?"_ she asked seeing Ragland.

_"Bradley Ragland"_ the man said, holding out his hand.

_"Dana Mercer"_ she replied, shaking it firmly.

_"Mercer?"_ Ragland asked, raising an eyebrow._ "Alex you never told me you were married."_

Both Alex and Dana gave him a horrified look. _"I'm his sister"_ Dana growled.

_"Oh, I'm sorry"_ Ragland replied sheepishly. _"You never told me you had a sister either"_ Ragland continued, turning to Alex.

_"I didn't know I had one either until a couple of days ago"_ Alex replied slumping onto the couch.

_"Long lost sister?"_ Ragland suggested, slightly confused.

_"Something like that but mainly because before two days ago I don't remember a god damn thing"_ Alex replied as he kicked off his shoes.

Ragland looked at him in shock. _"You've got amnesia"_ he asked.

_"Yeah, whatever Blackwatch did to me after they took you completely screwed up my brain. Not to mention everything else about me"_ Alex replied, morphing his fingers into long serrated claws to emphasize the point.

_"God, they must have done to you what they did to Cross only this time it looks like the succeeded in making you more versatile"_ Ragland gasped, looking at Alex slightly intrigued.

_"I'm a lot more like Greene than Cross"_ Alex replied, as he thought about the red-head.

_"But Greene was an accident. A one in a million chance of occurring. There's no way they could have made you like Greene with the information we had. It was her unique genetic make-up that caused her to bond with Redlight"_ Ragland replied puzzled. _"Wait a second, if you had amnesia how did you know who I was?"_ Ragland asked, suddenly a little wary.

_"I broke into my lab at GENTEK and found records on you in the archives. When I saw that the prison was under attack I realized that Greene must have been coming after to you for some reason and I guessed it wouldn't be good if she got her hands on you"_ Alex explained.

_"She probably wanted me to recreate project Zeus so she could add it to her DNA, giving her easier control over this new strain of infected. Assuming these infected are from project Zeus?"_ he asked looking at Mercer.

_"As far as I know yes and you're wrong about Greene"_ Alex replied darkly.

_"What do you mean?"_ the scientist asked, a look of confusion on his face.

_"Greene wasn't an accident"_ Mercer stated, as the files on Operation: SpearHead flashed across his mind.

_"Yes she was. The Redlight virus accidently got released in Idaho due to a security breach and unfortunately it bonded with her. I read her files"_ Ragland insisted.

_"You obviously didn't get all of them"_ Alex continued grimly. _"The town of Hope Idaho was a test subject. The Redlight virus was release on purpose. Elizabeth Greene wasn't a member of Blackwatch. She was a civilian living there, the scientists monitored everyone in that town looking for someone with the perfect genetic make-up and they found her. The U.S government at that point wouldn't allow Blackwatch's soldiers to apprehend her and run tests. So they did the next best thing. Blackwatch couldn't take all the blame if an accident occurred causing the whole town to become infected"_ Alex finished.

_"You mean to tell me the whole Idaho incident was a set up from the very beginning? That Blackwatch murdered an entire town just to create Greene?"_ Ragland asked disbelievingly.

_"Not to create Greene no. To create Pariah"_ Alex replied as he remembered the name on file he open from Operation: SpearHead.

_"Pariah?"_ Ragland asked confused.

_"At the time of the Idaho incident Greene was pregnant. This was something Blackwatch hadn't initially anticipated but when they realized the potential behind it they instantly swung into action"_ Alex continued. _"They already knew Greene could bond with the virus but what about a fetus? A being made of Greene's DNA thus compatible with Redlight and the fact it hadn't even finished growing yet."_

_"That would create a true hybrid. Not human or infected but a complete balanced combination of both"_ Ragland gasped finishing Alex's sentence.

_"Exactly they couldn't wait any longer or the fetus would develop and become human before the virus could take effect. That's why it all happened so quickly. That's why Greene was the only one of that town left alive. They knew she was a threat and a dangerous one at that so why didn't they just kill her and be done with it?"_ Alex continued.

_"They wanted her child"_ Ragland said as he sat down in shock. Alex nodded in agreement. _"But why? Why would they need a hybrid?"_ he asked looking at Alex worriedly.

_"Why do you think? Redlight and Blacklight were both created to be used as weapons. Imagine what they could do if they had control over a being that could potentially bend the virus to its will. Control every infected on the planet with nothing but a thought. They could have whole countries at their knees. Releasing the virus here in New York was probably another of their sick games. It's never been about me, or Greene, or Cross or even Blacklight. It's all been about Pariah!"_ Alex finished, clenching his fist in anger.

**H.A.M.M.E.R, New York 11pm**

_"We've been at this for ages"_ Moonstone sighed sitting back in her chair.

_"Feel free to go get some sleep. It's not like you're infected with a virus that's going to give you a bad case of the munchies or anything"_ Spider-man replied sarcastically as he changed slides.

Deadpool was no longer with them. After about an hour they had all come to the conclusion that he was going to be more of a hindrance than a help. So they took the samples they needed and threw him out. Moonstone muttered something under her breath, got up and walked out of the lab heading towards the stairs that led to her bedroom. It was almost 11pm, she wasn't tired, she just felt like a little fun with Cross before she went to sleep.

_"Maybe you should go get some sleep to Carol"_ Spider-man said, turning his white lenses to the blond sitting at the back of the lab.

_"I could help if you like?"_ she suggested, getting up and moving towards him.

_"Thanks Carol but we both know science isn't your strong point"_ Peter replied, chuckling slightly.

_"Fair point"_ Ms Marvel agreed also smiling. Leaning over him she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. _"Don't stay up to long. You're no use to anyone if you can't even think straight"_ she said turning and exiting through the door Moonstone had left through. _"Remember we still need to talk"_ she finished as she left the lab.

Peter turned back to the task at hand pushing Carol from his mind. Three hours later he still hadn't even come close to cracking Deadpool's genetic code. His head was pounding and as he raised his hand to rub his forehead he realized it was trembling.

Something was wrong. His mouth was dry and he felt hungry. Very hungry. "No" he thought as he realized the virus was starting to kick in. "Fight it!" he propped himself up against the table as his whole body began to convulse. "Fight it! Fight it! Fight it!" he screamed in his head. His head started to swim and he knew he was going to black out. He couldn't let the virus take him, people where counting on him. A searing pain shot up his spine and darkness began to cloud his vision as he fell to the floor.

_"I'm sorry"_ he managed to murmur as consciousness gave way to blackness.

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>At the end of Chap 31 Alex see's a file connected to SpearHead. This is the file on Pariah if you don't remember just read the last 2-3 sentences of that chapter :).


	43. Aren't You Happy To Be Alive?

**H.A.M.M.E.R, New York, 6am**

Carol was awakened by a scream. She shot up in bed at the sound. Quickly pulling on a pair of jeans she ran out of the room carrying a t-shirt with her.

"_What the f*** is going on?_" Cross demanded as he burst out of his room wearing nothing but boxers.

"_No idea_" Carol replied as she finished pulling the t-shirt on. Suddenly the rest of the Avengers and Dark Avengers emerged from their rooms all with looks of confusion on their faces. Looking round Carol noticed Peter and Gargan were the only two people missing. Her stomach turned as the worst began to pass through her mind. The scream resonated again.

_"It's coming from Gargans room"_ Moonstone said walking out of Cross's bedroom. Cross grabbed his handgun of the sidetable by the door and moved towards Gargan door slowly, gun trained on the wooden panel at all times. Carol quickly sped ahead of him and threw the door open. To her surprise she found Gargan rolling on the floor clutching his chest and howling like a wounded animal.

_"What the f***?"_ Cross said again, lowering his weapon and looking at Gargan in confusion. Gargan seemed to be mouthing something over and over but it was too quiet for anyone to understand. Had they been able to they would have heard the words_ "it's gone."_

**Meanwhile in the Lab**

Peter shot upright. His back twinged in pain from laying all night on the metal floor.

_"What happened?"_ he murmured as he rubbed his head. Then he remembered what happened before he blacked out. "How am I not infected?" he thought getting to his feet. It's not he wasn't grateful, it's that he didn't like not knowing. He knew he should be dead. He'd felt the infection take hold so what was going on? Had he imagined it from lack of sleep?

_"Hi partner I'm home."_

The voice stopped him dead. "Dear god no" he thought as he turned to look at his reflection in the metallic walls. He watched in horror as the black suit slithered over his red and blue suit and the familiar white spider appeared on his chest.

_"What's the matter? Aren't you happy to be alive?"_ the symbiote replied slyly.

_"GET THE HELL OFF ME"_ Spider-man shouted as he began tearing at the suit.

_"Can't do that Petey-boy"_ the alien growled._ "When you spurned us the first time we were angry, terribly angry but now we are prepared forgive and to go back to the way things were before"_ the alien continued almost joyously.

"I've got to get this thing off me" Peter thought. He'd known for a while that the alien still had a thing for him. Reed Richards had stated it was because he was its first host.

_"Tsk, tsk, looks like you're in a bit of a jam Petey-boy_" it continued. _"Right now we are the only thing stopping you becoming like Daken. You should be thanking us."_

Peter stopped dead. He hadn't imagined it, the virus had started to take effect.

_"You stopped the infection? How?"_

_"Oh please Parker, do you really think any virus you primitive humans could come up with would be able to stop us?"_ the alien replied amused. _"I know what you're thinking"_ the creature continued as Spier-man went silent. _"and no you won't be able to make a cure from us. We only protect you as long as we are bonded and you don't want a city full of symbiotes. That would just exacerbate things for everyone. Not to mention I dislike competition"_ it finished.

As he slumped to his knees Peter felt the cold tendrils of the aliens psychosis attempting to penetrate his mind. _"Stay the hell out of my head"_ he growled and the alien retreated slightly.

_"One step at a time maybe?"_ the alien replied smugly. Just then the Avengers burst into the lab. Spider-man turned his white lenses to them.

_"Web-head you in there?"_ Wolverine asked, already in position to dodge if he needed to. the rest of the Avengers looked at him worriedly especially Ms Marvel.

_"Its ok Logan I'm in control"_ Peter replied getting to his feet.

_"We need to get that thing off you!"_ Carol said worriedly.

_"We've got sonic guns in the lab incase Gargan ever went rogue"_ Moonstone said as she walked towards the locker.

_"Don't bother"_ spider-man replied weirily.

_"You're not considering keeping this thing are you?"_ Ms Marvel asked, looking at him even more worriedly now. Had the alien already got to him?

_"I don't really have much of a choice. This thing is the only reason I'm not like the rest of the infected"_ Peter replied as he flexed his fingers, feeling the familiar feel of the alien adapting to his every movement.

_"What?"_ Jessica asked confused.

_"This thing has a kind of attachment to me as I was its first host. This isn't the first time its tried to come back to me. So in its own twisted, sick way its trying to save me"_ Peter sighed.

Logan quickly pulled Carol to one side. _"This is a problem. I've had that thing on me before an I'm telling you, it ain't pretty. It'll try and bond with Peter and get into his head. We need to keep a close eye on him"_ he whispered.

_"What the hell is going on here?"_ Osborn demanded walking into the lab.

_"We may have a problem"_ Bullseye replied turning to face him.

_"Oh what now?"_ Osborn growled.

_"Spider-man is Venom"_ Bullseye said, returning his gaze to Peter.

_"Gargan?"_ Osborn questioned, looking at the black costume and white spider emblem.

_"No such luck Normy"_ Spider-man replied curtly.

_"Ok what the hell is going on?"_ Osborn asked again, getting angrier by the minute.

_"Last night after you all went to sleep I began to turn"_ Peter began._ "The symbiote must have sensed I was weakened and decided a reunion was in order."_

_"What about Gargan?"_ Cross asked turning to Norman.

_"What about him?"_ Norman replied sourly.

_"Well let's just say, crazy-towns population currently consists of just him"_ Cross finished.

_"It's separation anxiety. I've seen it happen to Brock and Cassidy when they were separated from the alien after being bonded for a long length of time"_ Spider-man explained.

_"I'll deal with Gargan"_ Osborn replied leaving the room. Fortunately he had prepared for the eventuality that the symbiote may abandon Gargan.

_"Well look on the bright side web's, you can be part of team healing factor now!"_ Deadpool said, looking at him curiously.

_"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"_

_"Sure it is! It means I can pull shit like this"_ he continued pulling out an M9 and quickly putting a round into Spider-man's chest much to everyone's horror. _"with no repercussions!"_

_"If you ever do that again I'll jam that gun down your throat!"_ Peter gasped as the symbiote quickly healed the wounds and ejected the bullets.

_"That's not very friendly neighborhood now is it?"_ Deadpool finished holstering the weapon.

_"So where do we go from here?"_ Iron fist asked, looking at the group.

_"Well the lab geeks need to stay here and try and find a cure while we make sure the Red Zone stays secure"_ Cross replied.

**A bar about 30miles outside New York, 11am**

_"So whats your poison mate?"_ the bartender asked, eyeing the man sitting behind the counter in front of him. He had medium cut reddish blond hair, blue eyes and stubble lining his face.

_"Whisky, make it a double"_ the man replied.

_"So where are you headed?"_ the bartender asked trying to engage the man in small talk.

_ "New York"_ the man replied, not attempting to forward the conversation.

_"You got a job there?"_

_"Something like that"_ the man replied taking the glass from the counter where the barman had placed it.

_"I'd be careful if I were you son"_ the bartender continued. _"Theres some kind of bio-hazard going on there. Special Op's are in and everything."_

The man didn't reply and drank the liquid in the glass in one gulp. As the bartender took the glass he noticed the TV at the opposite end of the bar was playing CNN and he turned up the volume to hear what the reporter was saying.

_"That's what I was talking about kid"_ he continued pointing to the TV. The stranger turned his head to the screen that was currently showing many corpses lined up covered by white sheets. _"Are you alright mate?"_ the bartender asked noticing the man had put his hand to his head as if seeing those dead people was causing him some kind of pain.

_"I'm fine"_ the man managed to hiss between clenched teeth. _"I'll feel a lot better once I get to New York"_ he finished getting up and tossing some money to the barman.

_"That's a nice beast you got out there"_ the barman shouted after him as he pushed the door open. The man turned back slightly confused.

_"The bike"_ the barman explained _"Looks like that thing is fast enough to outrun the devil himself."_

The man smiled at this. _"You have no idea!"_ he replied closing the door behind him.

**H.A.M.M.E.R, New York, 11am**

_"Ok here's the deal we all need to go to the Red Zone to support my men apparently one sector is getting increasingly violent and uncontrollable"_ Cross said looking round the table at the group. _"Spider-man you and Moonstone stay here and keep working on the cure. The rest of you will head out and help contain the situation."_

The Avengers nodded in agreement they knew the infection couldn't be allowed to escape the Red Zone and infect the other innocent people. Carol looked at Spider-man briefly she was still in shock at how close she had come to losing him last night.

_"What about you pretty boy?"_ Wolverine asked looking at Cross.

_"I'm needed here to help command the troops. Unless any of you have the respect of all the Blackwatch troops and the title of Captain I don't see anyone else being able to do it"_ Cross replied, slightly testily.

_"OSBORN!"_

Everyone turned round at the sound of the angry shout.

_"I guess my men finally disturbed his prayer"_ Norman said standing up and listening as the footsteps moved closer. Ares burst in through the door angrily. His anger quickly turned to confusion as he saw both the Dark Avengers and the Avengers sitting together.

_"So our differences have been settled?"_ he asked looking at his old colleagues.

_"Don't mistake us, as soon as this is over its back to the way things were"_ Ms Marvel replied testily.

_"What is so important that you saw fit to disturb me?"_ Ares asked turning to Osborn.

_"Have you been living under a rock or something?"_ Logan growled. _"Have you not seen what's going on out there?"_

_"Bring him up to speed while you're en route to the Red Zone"_ Cross said _"Now go! We mustn't let the infection escape the Red Zone."_

**Dana's Safehouse, 11am**

_"So Doc, what's the best way to go about changing me back to normal?"_ Alex asked looking at Ragland.

_"Well to be quite honest Alex you were the expert in this field not me"_ Ragland admitted.

_"Yeah well, thanks to the whole amnesia thing I doubt that's true now"_ Alex replied, tapping his head with his index finger.

_"Well here's what we know. We know that you are infected and you seem to think its more akin to Greene than Cross. The virus you have is Zeus. Zeus appears to have escaped and is infecting the city"_ the doctor said taking notes. _"If you are like Greene then the virus has bonded with you on a cellular level. Making a cure very hard to come up with. Greene absorbs people to feed and increase her abilities. Have you fed on anyone or anything?"_ Ragland asked, looking Alex in the eyes.

_"When I broke Dana out of that facility I absorbed about twenty people and a couple of those big things with the claws"_ Alex replied.

_"That's what I was afraid of. You see Alex when you absorb biological material such as people, their genetic structure is added to your own, allowing you to take on their properties. Whether those properties be memories accumulated by them or even abilities"_ Ragland explained.

_"And this is a problem how?"_ Alex asked confused.

_"If you hadn't fed your genetic structure would still be pure. Zeus would be completely untainted but now you have all those other strands of DNA running through you. This makes isolating a pure part of Blacklight nigh impossible"_ Ragland explained.

_"So I'll need a pure untainted form of Zeus? Where the hell am I supposed to get that?"_ Alex asked slumping into a chair.

_"The station. That's where the virus was unleashed. There will still be traces of the untainted virus there."_

_"He can't go there. That's right in the middle of the Red Zone and most likely where that red-headed bitch is"_ Dana piped up having remained quiet for most of the conversation. Alex thought about this for a minute.

_"This is my only option?"_ he asked.

_"I don't see another way out of it"_ Ragland confirmed.

_"You can't really be considering this? You'll be walking into the lion's den"_ Dana said exasperatedly.

_"Luckily i'm scarier than any lion"_ Alex replied jokingly. Dana just rolled her eyes at him but she still looked worried.

_"There is still one problem"_ Ragland continued.

_"And that is?"_

_"While I am very familiar with Zeus, my research was into creating it, not breaking down its structure. That was your job. If you get hold of a sample I'm not 100% sure I could even do it without your notes"_ Ragland explained.

A small smile spread across Alex's face. _"Don't worry I can do better than that"_ he replied taking the piece of paper Karen had given him out of his pocket.

_"Whats that?"_ Ragland asked looking at the piece of paper.

_"You're not the only GENTEK scientist I've saved"_ Alex replied handing the scientist the note.

_"Karen"_ Ragland exclaimed, instantly brightening. _"She would definitely be able to help!"_

_"Then I guess I better go get her"_ Alex replied getting to his feet.

**Karen's Safehouse Queens a few minutes later**

Karen got out of the shower. The water trickled down her toned body and fell to the floor. Her wet hair fell about her shoulders in matted blond locks as the water pressed it to her skin. She quickly wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out of the bathroom. The shower had helped a little. The whole ordeal of finding out Alex was alive was quite a shock to her. She was also slightly nervous. There was a few things Alex didn't know about her. The main one being that when their relationship had started she had been a Blackwatch agent. Blackwatch liked to know everything that was going on in their labs and had asked her to get close to Mercer so they could keep up with what he was doing.

To most people Alex had seemed a cold and violent person but Karen had become one of the few people to pierce that mask. When Blackwatch had given the order to kill him Karen's emotions had got in the way and she tipped Alex off. When she'd confronted him outside the facility Karen had no idea that he had Zeus on him and she certainly hadn't thought him cold enough to release it simply to spite Blackwatch. Turned out she was wrong.

_"They look nice."_

Karen's head snapped up sending water flying from her hair. The man who currently occupied her thoughts was standing in the room holding a picture she guessed must have been of her relatives. They were so distant to her close family that she couldn't even remember how they were related to her. Third cousins or something in that area.

_"I don't really know to be honest. I only met them once a long time ago. The guy is now some kind of photographer and his aunt moved outside the city to get some peace a quiet"_ she replied, pushing some wet locks of hair from her eyes.

_"I saved Ragland"_ Alex continued placing the photo back on the shelf. _"He thinks he can help me but we're going to need your help. I didn't want to get you anymore involved but there's no other option"_ he finished and Karen could hear the slight sadness on his voice.

_ "I guess I better get dressed then"_ she said getting up and walking to her draw to pull out some clothes. The towel fell revealing her bare back and Alex turned away instinctively.

_"You've seen more you know"_ Karen said playfully from behind him.

_"Just get dressed"_ Alex replied smiling.

_"Ok lets go"_ Karen said as she pulled on a white tank-top and picked up a brown jacket. _"So where's your car?"_ Karen asked looking for some mode of transportation as they left the house.

_"Who needs a car?"_ Alex asked scooping her up and breaking out into a run.


	44. King And Queen

**Red Zone, New York, 1pm**

After dropping Karen off at the safehouse Alex left immediately for the Red Zone. Leaving Ragland and Dana to fill Karen in on what was going on. Getting past the Blackwatch troops patrolling the Red Zone had been easy. A couple of shapeshifts here and there and he was in the Red Zone with Blackwatch none the wiser.

He ran along the roof tops at breakneck speed, jumping from building to building with ease. Alex's control over his abilities was getting a lot better. Now he was even able to glide small distances by lightening his bio-mass. As he landed on the roof of a large building he peered over the edge. The streets were crawling with infected. As he looked closer Alex realized the mutagenic properties of the virus must have started to set in as quite a few of the infected had turned a sickly shade of red and instead of arms, long chitinous blades seemed to have formed to replace them.

As Alex continued towards the station he began to comprehend just how many infected there were. "Jeez she could break out of the red zone easily with all of these" he thought as he drew nearer. To his surprise the area outside the station was deserted. "Is this a trap?" Mercer thought as he walked into the station.

The area inside the station had become an alien landscape. The walls were covered in some kind of red fungus. As he went deeper into the station he saw that the fungus or whatever the hell it was seemed to be getting thicker. Blacklight must be causing this and perhaps if he found were it was originating that would be the sample he needed. He followed the substance to a point on the floor.

"So this was on purpose" Alex thought as he bent down and picked up a few shards of glass from what looked like a broken vial. Blackwatch had released the virus here on purpose. Quickly he scraped some of the red substance from the floor, placed it in a vial given to him by Ragland and turned to leave.

Alex heard them before he saw them. The familiar snarling sound caused him to step back and his arm shifted into the long crescent blade he was now so familiar with using. The three hunters crawled out of the shadows towards him but to his surprise they stopped a few meters in front. As Alex stepped forward, they snarled but took a step back.

"Are they scared of me?" he thought looking at the snarling creatures.

_"I hope my pets didn't scare you."_

The voice sent a shiver up his spine. Turning he saw Elizabeth sitting on a bench near the back of the room. "Crap" Alex thought, he was in her own backyard. He knew he'd probably encounter her in the Red Zone but he'd counted on the fact this would have been outside, where he had room to maneuver.

As she got up and stepped out of the darkness he gasped. She looked a lot different. Her skin was no longer the sickly shade of white it had been, her long red hair seemed brighter and the yellow iris's that denoted she was an infected where now a deep shade of green.

_"You like my new look I see"_ she teased, moving towards him. _"This is what I look like after I've fed. An improvement isn't it?"_ Greene asked as she stopped infront of him, placing her hands on her hips and looking at him suggestively. Alex was still taken aback by how human she looked. If he passed her on the street the fact she may have been infected wouldn't have crossed his mind.

_"Listen Alex"_ she began, pushing some red hair from her eyes. _"I've been following you since you entered the Red Zone. Did you really think I wouldn't know you were here? This is my kingdom after all."_

"Oh shit" he thought realizing he'd badly underestimated her. Well if this was going to be it, he wasn't going to be taken without a fight.

_"At first I'd been angry at the fact you thought me so stupid that I wouldn't be able to track you in my own territory"_ Greene continued, not noticing Alex's change in posture. _"Then it hit me. What if you wanted to be found?"_

Alex stopped dead "What is she talking about?" he thought confused.

_"You never came here to attack me did you? You came here because you wanted me"_ Greene finished locking eyes with him. Then Alex realized what she was talking about.

"She thinks I'm here to agree to be her mate. To join her. No wonder there were no infected outside and the Hunters didn't attack me. What slave would be stupid enough to attack their new king?" he thought.

For once he thanked his own stupidity and recklessness. Had he come in stealthy Greene would have instantly realized that Alex wasn't there for her and attacked without giving him time to get the sample. He stood there in silence trying to quickly think up a plan on how to proceed. Alex was snapped out of his thoughts by Greene's lips smashing into his. As she deepened the kiss he could feel Redlight trying to break into him. Suddenly Greene stepped back looking at Alex in bewilderment.

"What now?" he thought eyeing her warily.

_"Incredible. You're perfect"_ she breathed _"Do you have any idea what you are?"_

_"What are you talking about?"_ Alex asked looking even more confused now.

_"How is that even possible?"_ Greene muttered, looking at him confused.

"Ok this getting weird I need to get back to Ragland as soon as possible" Alex thought trying to see a way out. Suddenly Greene's head snapped round in the other direction.

_"Looks like our first act as king and queen is to stamp out all resistance"_ she said turning her eyes back to Alex. _"I was attacking part of the blockade to the Red Zone and it seems Blackwatch have sent reinforcements"_ she continued. _"Let's go show them what we're capable of"_ Greene finished, wrapping an arm around his neck and kissing him again.

"This is perfect. She'll lead me straight to the outskirts of the Red Zone and I can break-away there" Alex thought smiling as Greene broke the kiss.

**Red Zone frontline, New York, 1:30pm**

_"By the god's. How many of these things are there?"_ Ares asked as his axe cut through a pair of infected.

The Avengers and the Dark Avengers had been pummeled relentlessly by wave of after wave of infected for the past 20 minutes and the tide didn't seem to thinning. The Blackwatch soldiers where frantically trying to repair the blockade while the hero's held off the infected.

_"Whats going on? These guys are different"_ Logan said as an infected with long talons lunged at him. Before quickly losing an arm as Wolverines adamantium claws cleaved it from from its body.

_"Remember what Spider-man said. If the infection goes to long untreated mutations set in. I guess that's what we're seeing here"_ Spider-woman replied, as an infected with long blades for arms narrowly missed taking her head off.

_"Avengers fall back. We have the defenses repaired and more men have arrived"_ a soldier shouted from the blockade.

They quickly retreated behind the defenses and Blackwatch let out volley after volley of bullets into the approaching horde before throwing multiple explosives. The explosions shook the street and the Avenger's squinted as the light of the blast lit up the road.

After a few minutes the smoke began to clear to reveal that the street was littered with bodies and blood coated the ground with a sickly red color. Jessica put her hand to her mouth to prevent vomiting. Even Carol looked shocked and she had experience in war.

_"Anyone want a coke?"_

_"Wilson do you have any tact at all?"_ Wolverine growled as Deadpool began rummaging through the Blackwatch supply case.

_"Multiple tango's approaching, 100ft"_ one of the soldiers said raising his weapon as the silhouettes appeared in the fog.

_"Take them"_ the soldier replied next to him. The muzzles of their weapons flashed as the bullets sped from the barrels. The Avengers flinched as they saw the bullets rip into the figures.

"_Well that's not good"_ Ronin said as the figures didn't even slow in their stride as the bullets tore into them.

Mercer and Greene both stepped out.

_"Well that really isn't good"_ Ronin continued looking at the pair together.

_"So which ones do you want?"_ Greene asked turning to Alex curiously.

_"I couldn't care less"_ he replied looking at the blockade and the Avengers behind it. Suddenly another volley of gunfire resonated from the blockade, hitting them head on.

_"You'd think by now they'd realize bullets don't work on us"_ Greene sighed as the bullets tore into them _"Although they are annoying. I'd grown to like this shirt"_ she finished looking at the holes in the black material.

Alex looked at himself. This was another difference he'd noticed. Greene's clothes where separate from her whereas when he put his clothes on they seemed to become part of him. He'd been shot multiple times and yet his clothes weren't even damaged.

_"You people are starting annoy me"_ Greene sighed as she neared the blockade. _"I've decided now is the time to expand my territory"_ she continued approaching the Avengers. As she said this shrieks erupted from behind her. Infected appeared out of the alleyways as if from nowhere and hunters appeared running along the sides of the surrounding buildings.

_"How many of these things does she have?"_ Ms Marvel asked as she began firing energy blasts into the infected.

_"Captain Cross this is sector 3. Both Greene and Mercer are attacking us we can't hold out much lo.."_ the soldier was cut off as the mountain of infected hit. The Blackwatch soldiers instantly fell back firing into the oncoming horde. They couldn't win here and they knew it so they were falling back to a more fortified position further down.

Carol flew at Mercer as fast as she could. As she grabbed him and flew into the air Carol could have sworn she saw him smile. Tossing him into the top of a building she released volley after volley of energy blasts into the area he crashed into. Ms Marvel landed on the rooftop and Spider-woman carrying Wolverine landed beside her.

Alex pulled himself from the debris and brushed some dust off himself complete unphased by the attack. It had worked out perfectly. Now he was separated from Greene he could run. He turned his attention to the people in front of him.

_"We've already been here and done this. I beat you down remember?"_ Alex said looking at Spider-woman and Ms Marvel. _"I have no desire to fight you"_ he finished turning his back on the trio.

_"Where do you think you're going?"_ Carol demanded, appearing in front of him.

_"Out of my way"_ Alex growled at her.

_"Can't do that"_ Carol replied curtly _"You're a monster. How many people are dead because of you?"_

_"That's rich coming from a Blackwatch attack dog"_ Mercer smirked as the trio surrounded him.

_"We know what you did"_ Jessica said as Alex turned to look at her. Now it was Alex's turn to be confused.

_"What the hell are you talking about?"_ Alex asked glaring at her.

_"Blackwatch told us everything. How you released the virus and now you're just trying to slaughter everyone in blind rage."_

Alex blinked not quite believing what he was hearing. "Me releasing the virus? How low have Blackwatch sun to come up with an excuse like that?" he thought. _"And you believed them? The very same organization that robbed a whole town of life just to try out a theory"_ Alex countered.

"Something's wrong. He really doesn't have any idea what we're talking about" Logan thought looking at him. He could tell if people where lying by a combination of his mutant abilities and body-language and this guy really had no clue what they were accusing him of. Before he could say anything Alex leapt into action.

"I've got to get this sample back to Ragland" Alex thought as he punched the blond woman in stomach and threw her over his shoulder into her two team-mates.

_"Son of a b****!"_ Ms Marvel growled getting to her feet and quickly began flying after Mercer who was now running full pelt across the rooftops.

_"Go help her. I'll only slow you down"_ Wolverine said, getting to his feet and jumping off the building to go help the others.

Alex stopped for a brief second to see if he was still being followed and was knocked off his feet as Ms Marvel's fist collided with his back. He rolled with the blow and landed on his feet. As he was about to engage the blond woman a flash of green light struck Alex in the flank propelling him sideways. Spider-woman landed not far from Carol, her hands still glowing from the blast. Alex got back to his feet, teeth clenched.

They had learnt their lesson from last time. The two hero's where keeping their distance, not allowing him to get his hands on them and put all of his destructive power into play. Carol hit him with an energy blast and Jessica followed suit firing another venom blast.

"Shit" Alex thought as both bolts of energy struck him head on and exploded in a flash of light and smoke.

_"Do you think that did it?"_ Jessica asked, turning to Ms Marvel.

_"Well that hurt"_ Alex replied, stepping back out of the smoke.

_"What the?"_ Carol gasped looking at the thing infront of her.

Alex looked at her, slightly perplexed at her reaction. It was then he noticed his hands. His skin had become a sort of armor. It was black and chitinous almost like an insects carapace. Bringing his hand up to his face he could feel the armor covering it in a protective layer.

_"Well that's new"_ Alex thought out loud, looking at his hand curiously.

Ms Marvel took advantage of his distraction to fly at him. Alex looked up and Carol's fist collided with his head. He didn't even flinch as the blow hit him. Alex couldn't work out who was more shocked, him for not feeling her blow or Carol who realized he hadn't even felt it. "The mutation must have occurred from all the damage I've been taking" he thought as he grabbed Ms Marvels arm and threw her over his shoulder. His claws snapped from his armored hands and he turned ready to face the other opponent.

It was as Alex did this that he realized although this armor gave him incredible durability it came at the cost of his speed. He was definitely moving slower than before. Spider-woman shot a few blasts at him as he ran towards her but he either didn't feel them or ignored them as he plowed through the green light towards her.

Alex took a swipe but Jessica leapt over his blow narrowly avoiding disembowelment.

_"Not good"_ she thought as she landed a few meters from Mercer. This form he currently had was new and they had no knowledge of it. Carol was back on her feet also eyeing Mercer.

_"He's slower in that form maybe we can speed blitz him"_ the blond heroine suggested.

_ "Seems as good a plan as any"_ Spider-woman replied. They both leapt into action using their superior speed to out-maneuver Alex and dodge his blows.

"I can't keep this up for long" Alex thought. Although the armor dulled the blows it didn't make him invincible and the volley of attacks he was currently receiving were starting to put a strain on his body.

Ms Marvel struck him hard and he crashed to the ground. Carol quickly followed landing on top of him, she pinned him to the ground and punched him hard in the jaw. Jessica stood a few meters away poised to hit him with a venom blast should he try to attack. To Carol's surprise the armor retreated into Alex's skin and returned to the familiar hoodie and jeans.

"We beat him?" Carol thought looking at the man beneath her. Then she noticed the smile creeping across his lips. Looking to the left she saw Alex's fingers where embedded into the concrete. _"JESS MOVE!"_ she shouted turning to her team-mate but it was too late.

Spikes erupted from the ground all around them. One of them tore through Spider-woman's shoulder and another penetrated her leg impaling Spider-woman and lifting her from the floor. Alex took advantage of the temporarily distracted Carol and his hand shot out grabbing her by the neck. Her eyes widened as her airflow was suddenly cut off. Ms Marvel aimed a blow at his chest but Alex's armor reappeared and he didn't loosen his grip.

_"You've been lied to"_ Alex hissed in her ear as she began to pass out from lack of oxygen. Alex released her and she collapsed unconscious to the floor. His armor retreated into his skin again and he turned to the other woman. She had propped herself up against what looked like a weather vane, one hand clasping the wound to her shoulder.

Jessica glared at Alex but she knew there was nothing she could do in her current condition. Alex simply returned her glare and began to walk away. He would gain nothing from killing them. It was as Alex was about to jump to the next building that a bullet ripped through his shoulder causing him to turn.

_"Let's finish this Alex"_ Cross growled pointing the still smoking weapon at him.

* * *

><p><em>"Pathetic"<em> Greene smirked, dodging a blow from Iron Fist and quickly countering, causing Danny to fly backwards into a nearby building.

The Blackwatch soldiers had made it to the more heavily fortified position but the infected were pummeling their defenses relentlessly and they had lost a lot of ground to them. Greene was currently fighting the remaining Avengers.

Elizabeth struck Wolverine in the head and used him as a human shield to protect herself from a barrage of arrows from both Ronin and Bullseye.

_"Damn sorry Logan"_ Clint shouted as Greene threw the mutant to the side riddled with arrows. Greene looked at the Avengers as they regrouped.

_"Six against one huh?"_ she asked raising and eyebrow. _"It's not fair on you"_ Greene finished as spikes erupted from the ground forcing the Avengers to jump back.

_"She's right. We need a powerhouse. Someone who can absorb the damage while we think up a plan "_ Mockingbird said as Greene recommenced her attack.

As she narrowly avoided a blow from Greene, Mockingbird noticed a group of people running to the barricade.

_"Damn it"_ she cursed. When they lost ground to the infected it had put all the people in that area at risk. At least they had the sense to run to the next line of defense. Just then two hunters leapt in front of the terrified civilians and some of the other infected also broke off from attacking Blackwatch to attack the easier prey.

"Dear god, no" Barbara thought, realizing there was nothing anyone could do to save them. Greene would beat them down if they let their guard down even for an instant.

A whirring noise ripped through the air and chain whipped out from nowhere slicing the two hunters in half. They collapsed in balls of fire that quickly turned to ash.

_"Who the?"_ Greene growled in surprise, looking past the Avengers at something behind them. Fire erupted from the ground surrounding them. Burning the infected it touched, instantly reducing them to ash.

_"What's going on?"_ Bullseye asked nervously as the fire grew in intensity. The whirring noise grew louder and the Avengers turned. A motorbike burst through the flames. Flying over their heads and landing in front of them placing itself between them and Greene.

_"Is that who I think it is?"_ Mockingbird asked nervously, looking at the man as a black boot hit the floor to stabilize the flaming bike.

"God I hope he's in control" Logan thought looking at the man in front of them.

It was inevitable that he would appear. All of these people dying unjustly and without cause was probably causing him immense pain. The black sockets illuminated by the fire that surrounded the skull fixed their lifeless gaze on the infected.

_"Vengeance has come"_ the Rider hissed as the fire around him began to increase violently.


	45. As Good As Dead

**A Few moments earlier back at H.A.M.M.E.R**

_"Yes!" _

_"What is it?_" Karla asked looking up from her microscope towards Spider-man.

_"I've managed to isolate Deadpool's healing factor. Now all i need to do is to stabilize the anti-bodies it creates and the cure should be 100% effective"_ Peter replied.

_"What would happen if we injected that into an infected now then?"_ Cross asked, momentarily diverting his attention from the radio.

_"It would most likely tear the cells apart. The only reason this doesn't happen on Wade is because he has cancer. Thus all the cells that die are instantly replaced but if the body creates more than it can use, well you can imagine what happens. Now throw in infection as well it creates a very explosive combination"_ Spider-man replied as he switched slides.

Cross's head snapped back to the radio as it crackled into life.

_"Captain Cross this is sector 3. Both Greene and Mercer are attacking us we can't hold out much lo.."_ the man was cut off before he could finish his sentence.

_"Damn it both Mercer and Greene are attacking the Red Zone defenses"_ Cross said getting to his feet.

_"Both of them?"_ Moonstone asked horrified.

_"Sounds like they've put their differences aside"_ Cross replied as he pulled open a suitcase Callahan had left for him earlier. Opening it he found a strange wrist mounted device.

_"What's that?"_ Moonstone asked curiously as he strapped it his arm.

_"It's a compact grenade launcher"_ Cross replied as he checked the ammunition.

_"Spider how much of that stuff can you make in 5 minutes?"_ the Specialist asked turning to Spider-man.

_"Probably about enough for one dose but it's more likely to kill the person than cure them"_ Spider-man said as he began filling the syringe.

_"When did I say I wanted to cure Mercer?"_ Cross replied darkly as he picked up the electric truncheon he'd used a few days earlier.

* * *

><p><em>"How will we find them?"<em> Moonstone asked, looking out the window of the jet as it sped towards the Red Zone.

_"The team members wearing one of these remember"_ Cross replied tapping the scanner on his wrist. _"Each one has a tracking becon."_

_"There's Greene!"_ Karla growled as they flew over the Red Zone.

_"Go help the other's. Me and Spider-man will take care of Mercer"_ Cross said as he watched Greene throw Iron fist into a wall.

The Dark Ms Marvel leapt from the plane and began speeding towards the other Avengers. Just as she was about to engage Greene, fire erupted from the ground incinerating the infected and causing her to come to a complete halt.

"Whats going on? Did someone hit a gas main or something" she thought using her hands to shield herself from the heat intensity. It was then she noticed the motorbike and its rider.

_"Blaze you in there?"_ Logan asked also shielding himself from the fire.

The Ghost Rider turned its flaming head towards the Avengers but didn't respond.

_"This could be a problem"_ Iron Fist said looking at the spirit of vengeance._ "I don't think Blaze is in control right now. From the power he's generating it looks like the Rider is."_

Suddenly Greene threw herself at the Rider grabbing him by the head and throwing him into a wall. The bricks and mortar collapsed and part of the building caved in on top of him. Chains erupted from the rubble snaking out and attempted to ensnare Greene. She managed to deflect most of them with her own tendrils but one of the Riders chains managed to snag her round the neck. The chain pulled her sharply towards the falling building and the Rider burst from the rubble hellfire raging around him.

_"Let them fight it out lets concentrate on getting the other bystanders to safety"_ Ronin said as Greene collided with the Rider causing what remained of the building to fall on top of them.

As the Avengers quickly took the civilians out of harm's way a rumbling sound emanated from what was left of the building and Greene came flying out, smashing into the building in the other side of the street. Ghost Rider emerged from the ruins again fire expanding in all directions.

_"We need to go now!"_ Wolverine yelled to his team-mates as the fire burnt his skin. _"Blaze isn't in control and Greene is calling in more and more infected."_

_"We can't just leave!"_ Mockingbird shouted back striking an infected in the head. _"The infected will over-run the defenses and escape into the city."_

_"If we stay here we're dead! Greene will beat us down or the Rider will fry us"_ Logan growled as a hunter lept at him.

_"Speak for yourself wolfboy"_ Deadpool replied decapitating a hunter with his katana.

_"Incoming!"_

Mockingbird turned at Iron Fist's warning but it was too late. The hunter landed on her and brought back its clawed hand preparing a decapitating swipe. The hunter was thrown off as one of the flaming wheels of Ghost Rider's bike struck it in the face. Barbara looked up at the flaming creature from the floor unsure of how to react.

_"Its…It's ok I'm in control"_ Blaze managed to growl through gritted teeth. Reaching out he grabbed Mockingbird by the arm and pulled her onto the back of his bike. _"Tell your team to fallback behind the defenses before that red-headed b**** comes too"_ Ghost Rider hissed as he kicked the motorbike into a higher gear he sped round the infected, lashing out with his chains causing multiple enemies to fall to the floor covered in flames.

_"Guys fall back!"_ Mockingbird called from the back of the bike as Ghost Rider zigzagged round the infected at breakneck speed.

_"Looks like we've got our powerhouse"_ Iron Fist said as he quickly felled two infected and made a break for the defenses. The Avengers quickly regrouped and Ghost Rider came to a halt with them allowing Mockingbird to descend.

_"This is their main point of attack right?"_ Blaze asked in his ghostly voice.

_"Yeah this is it. If they get past this blockade we're screwed"_ Ronin replied watching as the infected also regrouped.

_"Good, hold them here I'll keep them from getting any further"_ Ghost Rider replied as he spun the bike round and sped back down the street leaving the familiar flaming trail behind him.

_"He managed to take back control I see"_ Bullseye said, firing arrows into the approaching infected.

_"Under these circumstances that's not such a good thing"_ Wolverine replied as the Rider cut a flaming swath through the enemy ranks._ "When the Rider is in control he can use the full extent of his power. When Blaze is in control he's limited and with the likes of Greene and the rest of the infected I don't know if he can hold out"_ Logan finished.

_"Let's just do what he said and hold them here"_ Ronin replied also firing arrows into the appraoching attackers.

_"What the hell is he doing?"_ Luke asked watching as Ghost Rider's chains lashed out tearing into the buildings on both sides of the street.

_"FALL BACK! HE'S GOING TO BRING THE BUILDINGS DOWN"_ Mockingbird screamed as she realized what Blaze was going to do.

They all began running back as the buildings surrounding them began to crumble in flames crushing the infected beneath. Ghost Rider sped towards them avoiding the tumbling structures before coming to a halt in front of them. He turned his head a surveyed his handiwork. The road was now completely cut off by a mountain of debris.

_"Now that's a blockade"_ Blaze remarked as he changed back into his human form.

_"Damn, you couldn't have warned us you where about to do that?"_ Mockingbird panted.

_"You alright kid?"_ Wolverine asked looking at Blaze as he propped himself up using his bike breathing heavily.

_"Oh yeah I'm just fine. Being forced out of my own body by a vengeful spirit that wants to do nothing more than destroy the guilty doesn't tire me out at all"_ Jonathan Blaze replied sarcastically as he swatted out a flame on his jacket.

"_Well that was ermm…effective"_ Moonstone said landing beside them.

_"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Spider-man and Cross at the lab?"_ Iron Fist asked suspiciously.

_"They came here to hunt down Mercer"_ Moonstone replied.

_"As that thing is in your head does he talk to you in little yellow boxes too?"_ Deadpool asked looking at Johnny.

_"Nope he generally just tells me to kill people"_ Blaze replied.

_"We aren't so different then"_ Deadpool said slapping him on the back.

* * *

><p>Cross threw himself at Alex causing them both to fall off the side of the building. Peter landed beside Carol looking at her worriedly.<p>

_"She's just unconcious don't worry"_ Jessica groaned from her position against the weather vane. _"Don't worry about us go help Cross."_

_"What the f*** is wrong with you Mercer?"_ Cross growled as they freefell towards the ground. Cross struck Alex across the face with the electric weapon causing him to shudder under the voltage. _"How much more pain and misery are you going to cause before you're happy?"_ Cross snarled striking him again. He was thrown off Alex as they hit the ground.

_"What the f*** are you talking about?"_ Alex growled getting to his feet and lashing out with his claws. Cross dodged them expertly and pumped a grenade into Alex's face. The explosion threw Alex back.

_"Oh don't play dumb with me you sick son of a b****"_ Cross snarled as he ran forward throwing a punch towards Alex's face. Alex grabbed his arm and locked it behind his back securing Cross in place. _"What kind of sick monster releases the virus on innocent civilians? Granted we we're wrong to terminate you but are you really so f***ed in the head that you wanted to take thousands of innocent people with you?"_ Cross snarled looking over his shoulder at Alex.

_"What the hell are you talking about? You released the virus not me"_ Alex growled back.

_"F*** you Mercer! I saw the security tapes. I watched you do it"_ Cross spat kicking Alex in the leg and ducking under his bladed arm. Alex stepped back in shock.

"That's not true….It can't be true…..I wouldn't" he thought trying to figure out what Cross was saying.

Cross took another swing with his truncheon. Mercer grabbed his arm with one hand and seized his neck with the other.

_"Whatever you're accusing me of its nothing compared to what you did. Killing an entire town just to play god with Greene"_ Alex snarled back. Cross looked at him confused.

_"Yeah that's right. I know all about Hope and how you slaughtered everyone in that town just to create Pariah."_

Cross looked at him wide eyed. _"What the hell are you talking about the virus got lose. I only did what needed to be done!"_ Cross replied kicking Alex in the stomach.

Alex flinched but didn't relinquish his grip. "He doesn't know" Alex thought. _"You really don't get it do you? You're just a f***ing tool. A Blackwatch dog. They point and you kill like a good solider, not even questioning your orders. You think I'm lying? How else would I know about Pariah? If you don't believe me ask Taggart. Kinda strange a rookie who had never experienced combat was sent into Hope don't you think?"_ Alex said looking Cross in the eyes _"Or how about the fact he got promoted to colonel a few months after when it takes years normally!"_

Cross's mind was in a mess. This couldn't be true. They would never use him like that. They wouldn't dare. _"You're a lying son of a b****!"_ he yelled breaking out of Alex's grip and firing another grenade into him. The explosion threw Alex back again but this time he landed on his feet.

_"Even if you're telling the truth, which I highly doubt, since you b******s put the virus in me I can't remember a god damn thing!"_ Alex snarled.

Cross stopped dead. "He doesn't remember anything. He thinks we made him into this thing" he thought looking at Alex in shock._ "Wait"_ Cross said relaxing his stance. Alex followed suit watching Cross suspiciously. _"Something's wrong here lets both calm the f*** down and try and put this together"_ Cross breathed.

_"Don't you see? This is Hope all over again? You must have thought it strange that they brought Greene here before the infection got to a critical point"_ Alex said looking at him. Cross was taken aback. "What the hell is going on?" he thought. It was then Cross saw Spider-man jump down behind Mercer.

_"No wait stop don't.."_ Cross began. Spider-man hesitated for a moment then drove the needle into Alex's back _"NO!"_ Cross yelled. Alex span round striking Peter in the head.

_"What did you do?"_ Alex gargled as a black liquid began flowing from his mouth. He tore the syringe from his back and bolted as fast as he could.

_"God damn it!"_ Cross cursed as he watch Mercer run up the side of a building and disappear from view. _"What the hell did you do that for?"_ Cross demanded looming over Peter.

_"He was a bad guy. Anyway wasn't that the plan?"_ Spider-man replied sourly as he got to his feet.

_"I told you to stop. He had information!"_ Cross snarled.

_"Well get over it. It's done. The guy's as good as dead now"_ Spider-man growled back as he turned to walk away. Cross stared after him seething in anger. Mercer had raised questions and he wanted answers.

_"Taggart me and you are going to have words!"_ he muttered under his breath as he began to follow Spider-man.

Peter quickly scaled a wall leaving Cross to go his own way. When he got to the roof he bent over and scooped up Carol who was still unconscious.

_"Why did I do that?"_ he thought _"I should have waited for Cross. I might have just killed someone."_

_"He deserved it. Look at what he did to Carol and Jessica"_ the symbiote hissed. Peter turned to look at Jessica who had managed to get to her feet.

_"You're right"_ Peter replied darkly as he went to help Jessica as well. With Carol under one arm and Jessica holding onto his neck he swung off to regroup with the other Avengers. When he got to them Cross was already there.

_"Hey webs long time no see"_ Blaze commented, leaning against his bike.

_"When did you get here?"_ Spider-man asked surprised at Ghost Rider's presence.

_"With all this going on how long did you think it would take before the Rider got pissed enough to drag me here?"_ he replied.

_"Ah I see"_ Peter replied placing Spider-woman on her feet.

_"What the f*** was that back there?"_ Cross asked putting himself in front of Peter. _"When I give you an order I expect you to follow it. I'm the only one here with any experience with the virus!"_

_"Fat lot of good it seemed to be doing you"_ Spider-man growled back.

_"Mercer was more valuable alive he had information we could have used"_ Cross snapped.

_"That's just your opinion"_ Peter growled, grabbing Cross by the collar.

_"Whoa, whoa lets calm down"_ Logan said stepping between them.

_"And where the hell where you when Spider-woman and Ms Marvel where getting attacked by Mercer? Hiding in a tree trunk?"_ Spider-man snarled turning to the mutant.

_"You better calm down kid"_ Wolverine replied curtly as his claws snapped from his hands.

_"You wanna go? Fine we'll see if the skeleton of yours really is unbreakable"_ Spider-man snarled balling his hands into fists.

Carol had come round and was watching the conversation in quiet horror. The way Peter was speaking he sounded so much like Kaine.

_"Spider?"_ she said softly putting a hand on his shoulder. The symbiote reacted aggresivly to her touch creating pointed tendrils to try and lacerate her hand.

_"What do you need her for"_ it hissed angrily._ "You have us. We are one."_

It was then Peter realized that the symbiote was starting to take hold._ "I'm sorry. __I've gotta get this thing off"_ Spider-man said as he began tearing at the alien.

_"We need the cure first. Just try and hold out for another day"_ Moonstone said. _"You're no use to any of us dead!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>Normally I update every 6 days but I had some spare time this weekend.


	46. I Know Everything!

**New York, Outside the Red Zone 2pm**

Alex ran as fast as he could across the rooftops. Whatever that man had injected him with was killing him. He could feel it worming its way through his body causing every step to feel heavy. His vision began to swim as he jumped from building to building and he spat more of the black liquid from his mouth. Somehow he managed to make it to Dana's safehouse and he threw the door open before collapsing to the ground.

_"Alex!"_ both Karen and Dana yelled in unison.

_"Bring him here quickly"_ Ragland said pushing everything off of the table. Dana and Karen lifted Alex onto the table and he lay there the black substance flowing out of his mouth and nose.

_"What's wrong with him?"_ Dana asked looking at him worriedly.

_"Alex can you hear me?"_ Ragland asked as he opened Alex's eyelids and shone the light to check his pupils. Alex managed to groan in response. _"What happened?"_ the doctor asked but Alex's eyes fluttered shut and he went still. _"Shit! Karen analyzes this and tell me what we are dealing with!"_ Ragland demanded taking a small blob of the black liquid and passing it to Karen who left the room to go to the makeshift lab she had set up.

_"Is he going to be ok?"_ Dana asked tears starting to flow down her face.

_"Go in the other room and try to remain calm we're going to do all we can"_ Ragland replied softly as he guided her out the door and closed it behind her. Ragland walked back over to the table and began pulling off Alex's shirt so he could measure his heart rate. As he did he found the vial of Zeus that Alex had managed to acquire during his trip to the Red Zone and placed it on a shelf for later.

Suddenly Alex began groaning again. Whatever was happening seemed to be tearing him apart. Bradley quickly picked up his stethoscope and placed it to Alex's chest pushing his friends flailing arms away as he did. He listened through the instrument for the familiar thumping noise of a heartbeat but to his surprise he heard nothing. "What the hell is going on?" he thought looking at Alex who was still moaning.

Opening his bag he pulled out a small black case and opened it to reveal a set of scalpels. "Sorry Alex this might hurt a bit" Ragland thought as he made a quick slice down Alex's chest. To his annoyance Alex's healing factor was still functioning and the wound sealed up almost instantaneously. "I've got to keep the wound open" the doctor thought as he looked round the room for something to use. Ragland picked up a book and when he made the new incision he quickly jammed it into the wound preventing it from closing. Alex lurched in pain as the objected hit his nerves. Ragland acted quickly, he knew he didn't have long before Alex's healing factor kicked in again and he needed to know what was going on inside him. When he opened the wound his eyes widened in shock.

_"What the hell am I looking at?"_ he gasped.

A few minutes later Karen burst into the room. _"Its some kind of anti-body that's attacking the cells the virus infects. Its going to kill Alex unless we come up with a way to neutralize the anti-bodies"_ she said looking worriedly at the man on the table.

_"We need more of the virus. Blacklight or Zeus and we need a lot of it"_ Ragland replied as he washed his hands.

_"What good will that do? It won't stop the anti-bodies they'll just keep attacking him"_ Karen said confused.

_"We've got this!"_ Dana exclaimed bursting into the room. She'd been listening at the door the whole time and as soon as she'd heard them mention they needed Blacklight she instantly went to get the canister she and Alex had stolen from Blackwatch.

_"Whats that?"_ Ragland asked, looking at the container curiously.

_"It's Blacklight. We stole it a few days ago in case we needed it for something. Will it still work as it's not the Zeus strain Alex was infected with?"_ Dana asked anxiously, looking at her brother's immobile form.

_"It shouldn't make a difference. He should be able to absorb any form just like Greene can"_ Ragland replied taking the canister off her.

_"Wait giving him a dose that big could tear his cells apart"_ Karen said looking at Ragland nervously as he attached an airtight breathing mask to Alex's face and hooked it to the canister.

_"It won't"_ Ragland insisted as he jammed a syringe into Alex's arm and injected him with the sample of Zeus Alex's had got from the Red Zone.

_"What are you doing? That was supposed to be used for curing him!"_ Dana shouted as she tried to stop him.

_"He can't be cured if he's dead"_ Ragland snapped back. "Not that I could cure him anyway" he thought darkly. He and Alex would need to talk when he came round.

**H.A.M.M.E.R, New York, 2pm**

Cross sat alone in his room turning his pistol over and over in his hands. For once in his life, he had absolutely no idea what to do. Was Alex lying? Could his rant have been the words of a madman trying to justify his actions? No it couldn't be. Everything Alex had said fitted perfectly and yet if what he said was true, it meant everything he'd fought for, everything he'd done was a lie. Getting to his feet he pushed the gun into his belt and stormed out of his room. It was time he had a few words with Taggart.

_"Perhaps you should get some rest"_ Carol said looking worriedly at Spider-man as he worked franticly with the test tubes in front of him.

_"I can't. I have to get this thing off"_ he replied as he added another chemical to his test tubes.

_"Besides the quicker we get this done the better"_ Moonstone added from the other table.

Ms Marvel didn't respond. She knew he was right. The symbiote was changing him into something ugly as demonstrated when he threatened Wolverine. He was a lot less cheerful and his personality was a lot darker. What tore her up most was that she was powerless to do anything about it.

_"How's Gargan holding up by the way?"_ Peter asked not turning away from his work.

_"Osborn had some kind of cell set up to keep him alive if the alien ever left him. Mostly likely in case he wanted to run experiments on him"_ Carol replied in disgust.

Just then Johnny Blaze entered the room looking slightly perturbed.

_"Are you ok?"_ Ms Marvel asked noticing his demeanor.

_"Oh I'm just fine. Being stuck in a building full of evil people doesn't effect me at all"_ Jonathan replied sarcastically as he sat down and took a few deep breaths.

_"The Rider's trying to come out?"_ Moonstone asked, looking a little worried now.

_"Trying? The guy is _going _absolutely berserk in there"_ Blaze replied rubbing his temples.

_"Well try and keep him locked up please Johnny-boy. The last thing we need is the Rider getting lose and toasting us"_ Spider-man replied as he changed slides on his microscope.

_"Don't worry I'm fine when I'm with you guys. It's just around those 'other' Avenger's I get a little cranky. I should be fine as long as I'm not around more than one at a.."_ Blaze was cut off as Osborn walked into the lab.

_"Oh"_ Carol began, turning to Osborn in horror.

_"Shit"_ Spider-man said, finishing her sentence for her.

Blaze sped from his chair before any of them could react and slammed Osborn against the wall gripping his neck tightly.

_"Guys, he's scratching at the door"_ Blaze growled through gritted teeth as fire began to erupt from his eyes.

_"Get the hell off me"_ Osborn yelled, punching Johnny in the face. This was a bad move on his part as whatever resistance Jonathan had put up crumbled and he instantly took on his Rider form.

_"Look into my eyes"_ it hissed, gripping Osborn by the chin and turning his eyes to face him. Osborn went ridged as the Ghost Rider's penance stare began to take effect. He spasmed in the Riders grip for a moment then went still.

_"Blaze are you in there?"_ Ms Marvel asked looking at him worriedly and taking on an attack position. Moonstone also took on an attack stance as she knew that she would be the most likely next target. As the Rider turned to Carol he began to return to his human form.

_"Sorry guys. Blacked out there for a moment. What did I miss?"_ he asked looking at the surprised group.

_"Well you may have ermm…screwed up Osborn's head"_ Spider-man replied looking at his nemesis's limp form. Johnny turned and noticed the unconscious man.

_"Well"_ Blaze breathed. _"I don't know about you guys but I feel a lot better now!"_

_"You didn't kill him did you?"_ Carol asked, not that she would mind considering the pain he'd caused a lot of people in the past including Peter.

_"I dunno. Generally it just deals them the same amount of pain they've given to others"_ Blaze replied giving Osborn's body a small kick. _"Nah, he's breathing but the Rider really wanted a crack at him so I'm guessing he isn't going to feel too good when he wakes up"_ Johnny finished as he retook his seat.

_"So long as you don't do it to me"_ Moonstone said, nervously returning to her work.

_"I promise nothing! So how is the cure to this thing going?"_ he asked, answering Moonstone before turning to look at Spider-man curiously.

_"I'm almost there. I just need to tone down the anti-gens a little and I should be able to make the cure"_ Spider-man replied.

* * *

><p><em>"Where's Logan?"<em> Iron Fist asked looking round the room. He and the rest of the Avengers where in the debriefing room, all waiting patiently for Spider-man to come up with the cure.

_"I don't know. He was here just now"_ Cage replied, also noticing the mutant's absence.

_"I'll go look for him"_ Danny continued, getting to his feet and leaving the room. He had a good idea of where he might be.

Iron Fist made his way down to the part of H.A.M.M.E.R that was used for holding prisoners and saw Wolverine standing in front of one of the doors, looking in intently.

_"This isn't your fault you know"_ Danny said as he approached.

_"Not my fault? The boy grew up without a father, became one of Osborn's dogs and now look at him"_ Logan replied, staring sorrowfully at Daken who was currently thrashing around snarling and struggling against his bonds.

_"You didn't even know he existed before it was too late"_ Danny continued, putting a hand on his shoulder.

_"Whatever he's done he's still my kid. My responsibility. I can't stand to see him like this"_ the mutant replied turning away and walking towards the elevator.

_"Peter is working on the cure, just give him a little more time and he'll fix it"_ Iron Fist replied as he got in the elevator with Logan.

_"I hope your right kid"_ Logan replied as he pressed a button on the elevator control panel.

**Taggarts Office, Unknown Location, New York, 3pm**

_"TAGGART!"_ Cross bellowed as he entered the Colonel's office.

_"What can I do for you Captain?"_ Taggart asked not turning away from the article he was reading.

_"Somethings going on here and I want to know damn well what it is?"_ Cross growled as he slammed both his hands on Taggart's desk, glaring at him angrily.

_"I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about. Now why don't you get back to hunting Mercer?"_ the Colonel replied calmly.

_"Mercer has been dealt with. If he isn't dead by now then he's not far off"_ Cross replied, thinking back to Spider-man injecting Alex with the anti-virus.

_"This is great news Captain"_ Taggart said, finally diverting his attention away from what he was reading.

_"Before he died he told me a few things. Things I don't want to believe"_ Cross began as he sat down.

_"Mercer was insane. He was a rabid dog that needed putting down. He'd probably say anything"_ Taggart responded._ "What I can't understand is why he didn't attack us sooner. He knew all the locations to our bases and facilities and yet he only broke into one"_ the Colonel mused.

_"That's because he had amnesia"_ Cross replied _"He didn't even know that he was the one who released the virus."_

Taggart looked at him in surprise. _"My, my, that does explain a lot"_ the Colonel replied thoughtfully.

_"Mercer told me Hope wasn't an accident. That he knew about Pariah"_ Cross said looking Taggart in the eyes.

_"He's lying. You were there, you even saw the files yourself"_ Taggart replied curtly.

_"Ok then tell me this Colonel! How did Mercer know about Pariah? Why was Greene brought here early when the situation could have been contained? How the f*** did a rookie like you get put on my team in Idaho and get promoted to Colonel a few months later? Don't f***ing lie to me Taggart!"_ Cross yelled anger welling within him, this could have all been coincidental but Cross hoped his bluff might work.

Taggart looked at him anger, tightening his jaw. _"Ok Captain you want the truth? No, Hope wasn't an accident. Redlight was released on purpose. Greene was our best shot at creating a true hybrid and when we found out she was pregnant we had to act. We never wanted you to find out because we knew about your feelings for Idaho and we thought it would divide your loyalties"_ Taggart replied getting up and looking out the window. _"I was put on your team to report back to Randall and make sure that all went as planned but I was forced to pull out. I was promoted to Colonel for my services to Randall and you were never supposed to know about Pariah."_

Cross sat in silence shocked at what he was hearing. His mind flashed back to that day. Randall had known all along. He had even tried to prevent Cross doing an examination on Greene to find out what she was. Randall knew that if she was examined Cross would have found out she was pregnant that was why he had glared at him.

_"Why wasn't Greene killed after Pariah had been born? Why did you bring her here prematurely?"_ Cross asked quietly.

_"I don't know. The order came from higher up"_ Taggart replied sitting back down.

_"Who gave the f***ing order?"_ Cross snarled.

_"Randall ok. Randall ordered Greene to be brought here"_ Taggart sighed.

_"But why would he do that? He must have known it would only cause more problems?"_

_"I don't know and I don't care. I do what I'm ordered nothing more"_ Taggart said looking at the Captain.

_"Just like you did in Idaho?"_ Cross snarled again.

_"Please try to understand. It was all in the name of progress. The amount we've learnt from Pariah is incredible"_ Taggart replied trying to reason with him.

_"PROGRESS?_" Cross yelled getting to his feet. _"All I see is that an entire town was slaughtered just to try and merge a child with Redlight. A child Taggart! A f***ing child."_

_"Think what you want Cross. Those where our orders you swore an oath to serve and obey remember?"_ Taggart replied sharply.

_"Your right I did swear that oath"_ Cross said quietly, as he said this he was reminded of blond girl's face and the way it snapped back as he put the bullet into her. _"but I also swore another. I promised myself if I ever found out someone was responsible for Idaho I would hunt them down and kill them."_

Before Taggart could understand what was happening Cross drew his side arm and shot Taggart squarely in the head. The Colonel's body flew backwards off the chair and fell limply to the floor blood pouring from the bullet hole between his eyes.

_"Sir are you alright? We heard a shot!"_

Cross turned as two men burst into the room. Before the guards could react Cross flew at them. He drove his fist into the nearest one's stomach breaking multiple ribs. The other guard turned and tried to get off a shot from his gun but he was cut off as Cross's elbow collided with his face. The two men fell to the floor unconscious. Cross kicked Taggart's dead body over, pulled his cell phone from a pocket and dialed the last number called.

_"What is it Taggart?"_

He recognized Randall's voice instantly from the other end of the line.

_"I know everything. I know what you did you sick son of a b****. I know what you made me do"_ Cross growled down the phone.

_"Cross my boy. Believe me when I say, you know nothing"_ Randall replied calmly, obviously recognizing his voice.

_"There isn't an army big enough or armor thick enough to protect you from me. Taggart's dead and you're next. I'm coming!"_ Cross snarled hanging up and crushing the phone in his hand.

Randall placed the phone back on the receiver when he heard the line go dead.

_"You really have no idea what's going on here do you?"_ he murmured to himself smiling.

Cross couldn't go back to H.A.M.M.E.R they were probably under Blackwatch's payroll and even if they weren't he couldn't take that chance. There was only one person who could help him now. He just hoped to god he wasn't dead yet. Cross was about to leave the office when he saw an unopened document on Taggart's desk. He snatched it up and tore it open. What he saw shocked him.

"Dear god they're going to do what they did in Idaho" Cross thought as he saw what was written. A large nuclear device was being shipped from a Blackwatch facility. It would be arriving in two days time by boat to New York. Blackwatch where going to cleanse the Red Zone and half the city along with it.


	47. It Worked

**Dana's safehouse 5pm**

Alex's eyes shot open as he heard the screams. His vision was blurry and it took him a moment to adjust. Tearing the breathing mask from his face he quickly ran out of the room. Ragland and Karen were both lying on the floor looking a bit battered but none the worse for the wear.

_"What happened?"_ Alex demanded as he pulled Karen to her feet.

_"One of those things broke in"_ Karen replied, rubbing her head and pointing to the huge hole in the wall. Suddenly her eyes widened with horror. _"It took Dana"_ she said turning to Alex.

_"I have to go after her!"_ Alex replied his voice filled with worry. He began moving towards the damaged wall but he hadn't fully regenerated and passed out almost instantly. _"Dana I'm sorry"_ Alex managed to groan out before blackness clouded his vision.

* * *

><p><em>"LET GO OF ME!"<em> Dana screamed hitting the hunter and trying to get it to relinquish its grip. The beast didn't even register her attempts to resist it and continued jumping from building to building. Dana looked at the creature.

It wasn't the same as the two that attacked her and Alex. It was a lot bigger, its teeth and claws were a lot longer than the others and it didn't seem to only run on all fours as the other hunters did. At some points it was running on two legs. The creature leapt from the building and as it landed on the pavement below shocking and horrifying the surrounding pedestrians Dana managed to slip free.

Quickly getting to her feet she began to run. The creature looked puzzled for a moment then sped after her. Looking over her shoulder as she ran Dana was surprised when the creature seemed to have disappeared. When she turned round however surprise quickly turned to horror as the creature landed in front of her. It reached out its clawed hand and grabbed her leg as she tried to run away.

_"Well if you're going to kill me do it already!"_ Dana growled at the creature as it lifted her off her feet. She was trying to be brave but it was all an act, this thing was truy terrifying.

***Bang***

A large hole was suddenly blasted into the infected's chest and it stepped back dropping Dana in the process.

_"Now you're an ugly one!" _a voice commented.

Dana looked up to see Cross standing a few meters away a smoking assault rifle in his hands. The hunter turned to Cross its eyes wide with anger. The creature seemed to forget about Dana and leapt straight at Cross who jumped nimbly to one side, avoiding the hunters claws. The Specialist span on his foot and put a few more bullets into the creature as it landed where he had been standing. It howled in pain and lashed out with one of its clawed hands sending a nearby car flying into the air towards Dana. Cross was already moving, he'd already seen the trajectory of the vehicle before the creature had hit it. He quickly scooped up Dana and rolled them both away from the vehicle as it smashed into the pavement.

_"Get off me you b******!"_ Dana screamed trying to get out of Cross's grip.

_"Shut up and stay behind me if you want to live"_ Cross snapped back as he placed her on the floor.

Dana did as she was told. Although she knew he was the enemy, he was also the only real hope she had of getting out of this alive. The creature leapt at Cross and swatted the gun from his hands. The Specialist's hand flashed to his belt and he quickly unsheathed the combat knife strapped there, driving it into the monsters arm while simultaneously punching the creature in the face. The hunter staggered back snarling. It charged again this time Cross span beneath it and as the creature flew over him, Cross quickly slashed the tendons in its legs. When the creature landed it fell instantly to the floor unable to stand. Cross made his way over to the beast and placing a hand on each side of its face he twisted violently hearing the telltale snapping sound as the hunter's neck broke. Letting the dead creature fall limply to the ground he turned his attention back to Dana.

_"So what now?"_ she asked looking at him angrily _"back to jail?"_

_"We're long past that. We've all been betrayed. I need to talk to Mercer. If he isn't already dead of course"_ Cross replied eyeing her.

_"Even if I knew where he was why should I tell you? You tried to kill me and Alex"_ Dana spat.

_"Listen I…."_ Cross didn't get to finish his sentence as a black SUV pulled up and a number of Blackwatch soldiers got out. As soon as they saw Cross they open fired.

The Specialist quickly grabbed Dana and threw her behind a vehicle.

_"I see your friends don't like you anymore"_ Dana scoffed as Cross got back to his feet and fired a few shots at the soldiers from his sidearm.

_"We've all be f***ed over"_ Cross replied as he let off another two rounds. _"Here"_ he said handing Dana a small object. _"When I say now pull the pin out and throw it at them."_

Cross rolled behind the car to his left, drawing the gunfire away from Dana. He watched from beneath the car as the group of solders drew nearer.

_"Now!"_ Cross shouted soon as he saw their feet. Dana pulled the pin out and threw it at the Blackwatch soldiers, before quickly diving back into cover. The flash grenade went off in an explosion of white light blinding the soldiers. Cross moved instantly, sliding over the car's bonnet he grabbed the nearest one's rifle and slammed it upwards, driving the but of the weapon into the man's jaw. Following through with the movement he quickly shot another three with the unconscious man's weapon. As he turned to aim at the last one he found the man running at him knife in hand. Cross dropped the rifle and quickly grabbed the man's forearm as he tried to stab him, then used his inhuman strength to break the man's arm. The man screamed and released the knife but was quickly silenced as Cross's fist came into contact with his face.

_"Now take me to Mercer!"_ Cross snarled turning back to Dana.

**H.A.M.M.E.R, New York, 8pm**

_"Well here goes nothing"_ Spider-man grimaced as he prepared to inject Daken with the brown substance in his syringe.

_"Wait"_

Peter turned his head to Wolverine.

_"I'll do it"_ the mutant said taking the object out of Peter's hand. _"Sorry kid"_ Logan said looking at his son before injecting him with the supposed cure. The rest of the Avengers and Dark Avengers held their breath as they waited to see what would happen.

At first there was no change. Daken thrashed around, fighting to get out of his restraints and bearing his teeth. Suddenly he froze, his grey eyes grew vacant and his whole body began to spasm.

_"Is that normal?"_ Mockingbird asked looking at Daken nervously as his eyes rolled in their sockets.

_"How the hell should I know? It's not like this has ever been done before"_ Spider-man replied also watching the result nervously. Suddenly Daken stopped writhing and lay still. _"Wait"_ Peter said grabbing Wolverine's arm before he could move forward. _"We don't know if it worked yet."_

After a few minutes Daken stirred and turned his head towards them.

_"What the hell's going on?"_ he groaned looking at the collection of people infront of him.

_"Holy shit. It worked"_ Spider-man exclaimed looking at the mutant.

_"You sound surprised webs"_ Luke said, jokily punching him on the arm. Bullseye freed Daken from the restraints and took him from the room.

_"Thanks kid."_

Spider-man turned coming face to face with Wolverine. _"I'm really not sure how to thank you. I guess I could bend the rule this once."_

Before Spider-man knew what was happening Logan pulled him into a hug.

_"If you tell anyone else about this I swear to god I'll kill you"_ Wolverine growled as he pushed the surprised Spider-man away.

_"Oh my god! You hugged someone"_ Deadpool piped up, unable to stifle his laughter. _"I'm just glad I had my phone on me"_ the mercenary continued, holding up the phone with the picture of Wolverine hugging Spider-man on it. _"This is so going on Twitter!"_

_"Wilson you better give me that right now!"_ Logan snarled lunging at Deadpool.

The mercenary avoided him and began running away at full pelt. He quickly began typing a message on the small screen **"Wolverine hugged Spider-man. He really is a soft cuddly bunny inside LOL"-Deadpool.**

The rest of the Avengers watched as Wolverine chased Deadpool out the room in amusement.

_"Well done man"_ Iron Fist said turning to Peter. _"Looks like we can work on getting this under wraps now."_

_"We never doubted you for a second"_ Ms Marvel said putting her hand on Spider-man's shoulder.

_"Guess I should try working on a way to mass produce it now"_ Peter replied as he left the room.

_"The sooner he gets that thing off the better"_ Luke commented darkly as Spider-man walked out the door.

_"We need to come up with a plan"_ Wolverine said reappearing through the door. _"That thing doesn't like being separated from its host. Who knows what the little sucker will do now it knows it's not needed to prevent Spider-man from becoming infected anymore."_

_"Logan's right. We'll need to prepare for the eventuality we may need to forcefully separate them to give Spider-man the antidote"_ Mockingbird agreed. As they all left the room a group of Blackwatch soldiers marched past them carrying an assortment of objects.

_"What the hell is going on?"_ Moonstone demanded as she watched the Blackwatch soldiers.

_"We've been ordered to move out. Our contract with H.A.M.M.E.R is hereby terminated"_ one of them replied stopping in front of Sofen.

_"On who's authority?"_ the dark Ms Marvel growled.

_"On General Randall's order"_ the soldier replied.

_"What? Cross won't stand for this"_ she snapped back.

_"Captain Cross has gone rogue. He recently murdered Colonel Taggart in his office and took down a squad of Blackwatch troops whilst aiding Dana Mercer"_ the soldier replied coldly. The Avengers looked at the man in shock.

_"What?"_ Spider-woman asked clearly confused.

_"We have reason to believe Cross is now in league with Mercer. The virus probably finally claimed his sanity. We are falling back to our base of operations on the docks between the border of the Red Zone and the Green Zone. We have reason to believe Greene is preparing another assault soon"_ the soldier finished as he and his team continued on their way out.

_"Why would he do that?"_ Moonstone asked bemused.

_"This isn't good. If Cross really has gone rogue then he has all the information he needs to take us down"_ Cage said, looking worriedly at the retreating men.

* * *

><p>A few hours later all the Blackwatch soldiers had left H.A.M.M.E.R.<p>

"You don't need the cure. We are the cure" the alien hissed as Spider-man sat in the lab.

_"Shut up"_ Peter growled back as he got up and made his way towards one of the lab desks.

_"_We didn't want to do this but you leave us no choice" the symbiote replied angrily.

Spider-man collapsed to the floor, head in his hands as he felt the symbiote tear into his mind.

_"__I won't let you do this"_ Peter seethed through gritted teeth.

"You don't have the strength to fight us in your condition" the alien replied in an amused tone. Peter's vision began to go black as the alien began to take over. "We are in control now" the alien smirked as it took control of Spider-man's body and stood back up.

_"Peter we need to talk"_ Ms Marvel said as she entered the lab.

The symbiote turned Peter's head towards Carol. "Guess what Parker" the alien snickered. "We're going to do what you never had the guts to do. Heck, you might even thank us for it."

To Ms Marvel's surprise Spider-man moved quickly to her. The symbiote retracted from the bottom half of his face and Spider-man slammed his lips into her's. Carol froze for a moment not quite comprehending what was happening.

"He's kissing me. He's actually kiss me" Ms Marvel thought in shock. After the initial shock she reciprocated allowing Peter more access, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. Then she realized something was wrong. He was kissing her but it wasn't Peter. She could feel something strange emanating from him, something cold. Carol began to push Peter away but he didn't relinquish his grip. "It's not him it's the suit" she thought as she pushed back hard using a lot of her strength to break away from him.

_"Let him go"_ Carol hissed, watching as Spider-man did a back-flip landing gracefully on his feet.

_"I'm surprised you realized it was us"_ the alien replied smirking.

_"I know Peter. I could taste your poison"_ she snarled wiping her lips.

_"Shame we we're rather enjoying that. I think even Parker was"_ the symbiote continued _"He likes you quite a lot you know. The emotions are very…..potent."_

Ms Marvel looked at the alien in shock. "Peter has feelings for me?" she thought momentarily distracted.

The alien took this opportunity to lunge at her. It struck her in the head using all of Peter's strength in combiantion with its own casuing Carol to fly off her feet and crash into the lab wall. Ms Marvel composed herself quickly as Spider-man landed on her, delivering a blow to her stomach. Raising her hand she hit Peter with an energy blast propelling him off her. Spider-man quickly got back to his feet but didn't make any move to attack her.

_"Carol…..I….can't…..hold…..it….off…..for…..long…..You….have…..to….hit….me…..now give it everything you've got…..kill…me"_ Spider-man managed to groan between heavy breaths.

_"No. I'm not doing that"_ Ms Marvel replied firmly. She wasn't going to kill Peter no matter how far this thing pushed her.

_"Aww he managed to wrestle back control there for a second"_ the alien smirked as it retook control. _"You should have taken the shot when you had it barbie."_

_"I know you aren't Peter but I warned him what would happen if I got called barbie again"_ Carol growled as she ripped open one of the lockers. She remembered Moonstone saying that sonic weapons were there in case Gargan snapped. Ms Marvel pulled the sonic gun from the locker and fired it full blast at Spider-man.

The alien shrieked in pain and fell to the floor. _"I'm not letting him go. I'll kill him before our bond is severed"_ it snarled as the sonic waves hit it.

_"No you won't"_ Carol snarled back. _"It's 2vs1 in this fight. Me and Peter versus you. You can't win."_

The creature shrieked again but it separated from Peters body and quickly disappeared through a crack in the floor leaving the web-slinger passed out on the floor in his familiar red and blue suit. Ms Marvel quickly rushed to his side, pulled off his mask and cradled his head in her arm.

_"Quickly…you have to get….the….antidote"_ Peter groaned through strained breath as his eyes began to turn grey.

Letting his head fall lightly to the floor Ms Marvel moved quickly to the desk and picked up the syringe. Rushing back to his side she injected the solution into his arm and cradled his head again as his body began to spasm as Daken's had done earlier. Carol pulled him closer in attempt to calm the spasms and closed her eyes hoping it would be over quickly. Suddenly he stopped moving and slumped in her arms.

_"Pete?"_ she asked pulling him away so she could look at his face. To her horror his eyes where open and unblinking. Carol quickly put her head to his chest. "He's not breathing" she thought horrified. Ms Marvel quickly pulled his lips apart and began giving him mouth to mouth cpr. "C'mon breath! Breath!" she thought desperately. Tears began to fall down her face as she realized he wasn't responding. Carol Danvers didn't cry often, in fact she couldn't remember the last time she did but now the sobs came freely.

Suddenly Peter's chest rose sharply and he bolted upright breathing heavily.

_"Carol"_ he began turning his head to her. Before he knew what was happening her lips smashed into his. He could feel the relief flood through her and felt the dampness of her face still wet from the tears. He wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her closer. A few minutes later they separated slightly lost for breath. Peter got gingerly to his feet and Carol wrapped one of his arms around her neck to help him walk and they left the lab.

_"Whoa, Spider you ok?"_ Jesscia asked worridly as she bumped into them both.

_"Oh I feel great. Just like a poet on payday"_ Spider-man groaned.

_"It's ok, it's the separation from the symbiote taking its toll"_ Carol said, smiling slightly upon hearing the web-head's familiar humor start to reappear.

_"You managed to separate him?"_ Jessica replied surprised.

_"Yes, using the sonic weapon in the lab"_ Ms Marvel replied as she walked down the corridor.

_"Do you need any help?"_

_"No. Its ok, I've got this"_ Carol replied as she entered Peter's room and laid him on the bed.

_"Well I feel like crap"_ Spider-man moaned as he propped himself up and pulled off the top part of his suit before throwing it to the floor.

Carol sat down on the side of the bed next to him. _"Get some sleep"_ Ms Marvel said leaning in, aiming a kiss to his forehead but to her surprise Peter moved and captured her lips with his. Shifting his weight he pulled Carol on top of him.

_"We have time for that later"_ Carol said breathlessly pulling away, although it had taken all of her willpower not to continue.

_"I'm not that tired"_ Peter replied smiling as he shifted their position rolling her over and placing her beneath him.

Spider-man threw the covers over them both and Carol smiled into his lips as she began to shed her costume.


	48. Beginning Of The End

**Safehouse, New York, Unknown location, 9am the next day**

Alex's eyes fluttered open and he instantly knew something was off. He wasn't in the same room he'd been in when he passed out. "Dana!" he thought as he remembered what had happened. Quickly he got up and burst out of the room.

_"Alex!"_ Karen cried running over and giving him a hug as he appeared.

_"Dana! I have to go"_ he said worriedly trying to push past her.

_"Thanks for the concern bro but I'm fine"_ Dana said as she got up from her seat.

_"Dana you're ok?"_ Alex asked finally noticing her and quickly pulling his sister into a hug. _"But how? Karen said you got taken."_

_"I never pegged you for the sentimental type Alex."_

Alex's eyes widened in recognition and he turned round to see Cross leaning against the doorframe.

_"You!"_ he snarled claws snapping from his hands.

_"Its ok Alex. He saved me and brought us to a place where Greene can't find us"_ Dana assured him.

_"You're welcome by the way"_ the Specialist muttered eyeing Mercer.

_"Why?"_ Alex growled retracting his claws but not dropping his guard.

_"Because you were right. Something really f***ed up is going on and we need to put an end to it"_ Cross replied simply.

_"How are you feeling Alex?"_ Ragland asked looking at him worriedly.

_"I feel fine"_ Alex replied still not taking his eyes off Cross. _"Where are we?"_ he asked suspiciously.

_"An ex-Blackwatch training facility. Don't worry no one will even think of looking here. Most people think it's been destroyed anyway"_ Cross replied moving out of the doorway and taking a seat. _"How the hell did Greene find you anyway?"_ he continued. _"Looks like you dropped the ball there Mercer."_

_"Shut up"_ Alex growled. Then he realized how she must have known. He'd kissed her, maybe she'd gotten into his head. _"So what the hell are you doing here anyway?"_ he snarled.

_"I already told you because the world has gone insane"_ Cross replied.

_"He explained everything to us last night"_ Ragland confirmed.

_"Wait I've been out all night?"_ Alex asked in surprise.

_"Yes I'm afraid the damage was quite severe"_ the scientist replied.

_"Sorry about that by the way"_ Cross piped up as he lent back in his chair.

_"Blackwatch are going to destroy the Red Zone and half the city along with it"_ Karen said looking at Alex.

_"What? Why?"_

_"Because Randall has gone insane. He's a nugget short of a happy meal"_ Cross continued before Karen could respond. _"He's going to nuke the Red Zone and everything else that happens to get caught in the blast."_

_"And why the hell should I believe a word you say?"_ Alex growled, looking at the Blackwatch Captain.

_"Well one because I saved your sister's ass from becoming the main course on a very ugly hunter's menu. Two because I was prepared to listen to you earlier and three because of this"_ Cross replied throwing the file containing the documents he'd stolen from Taggart's office.

_"How did you get these?"_ Alex asked suspiciously as he read them.

_"From Taggart after I put a bullet in his head"_ Cross replied simply.

_"Taggarts dead?"_ Alex asked raising an eyebrow.

_"Unless he's found a way to survive a bullet getting lodged in his brain then he's dead as a dodo"_ Cross replied darkly.

_"This is Idaho all over again isn't it?"_ Alex said as he read the documents._ "They failed an experiment now they are going to destroy all the evidence."_

_"It certainly looks that way but a few things don't add up. For example why did they bring in Greene? Not to mention this is mainly your fault so it must have been a weird kind of experiment unless you where part of it and just don't remember"_ Cross replied thoughtfully.

_"What's that supposed to..."_ but before Alex could finish his sentence he felt a hand grab his arm.

_"Alex can I talk to you for a moment please?"_ Ragland said pulling Mercer aside and pushing him into another room.

_"Thanks for saving me Doc. I owe you"_ Alex said as Ragland closed the door. Then he noticed the serious expression on Ragland's face. _"What is it?"_ Alex asked curiously.

_"I_ can't_ cure you Alex"_ Ragland stated looking him in the eyes.

_"What? Why?"_ Alex asked in confusion.

_"Because there's nothing to cure"_ Ragland replied as he sat down.

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"Originally I thought you were like Greene. An entity completely bonded with the virus. I was wrong"_ Ragland admitted as he took a deep breath. _"You are Blacklight. There is nothing left of the human in you. Heck you're body isn't even made of cells. By definition you're not even a living creature. You are the virus but for some reason you think you're Alex Mercer. When I cut you open yesterday to try to save you I discovered that there is nothing inside you. No blood, no organs, no cells, nothing, nothing but Blacklight. When you died Blacklight absorbed you consciousness. That's why I can't cure you. Because there is nothing to cure"_ Ragland finished watching as the information sank in.

_"So you're telling me I'm not Alex Mercer? I'm just a virus who thinks its Alex Mercer?"_ Alex replied quietly.

_"I'm sorry"_ Ragland replied sincerely.

_"But that means Cross was telling the truth. I was the one who released the virus"_ Alex gasped as he realized what this meant. That must have been what Greene was talking about after she'd kissed him. _"This. All of this is my fault"_ he growled angrily punching the wall.

_"No point crying about that now."_

Alex turned to see Cross opening the door. _"You can either sit here moping about how you singlehandedly destroyed this city or you can get off your ass and do something about it"_ Cross continued eyeing Alex.

_"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who's devoid of humanity"_ Alex replied curtly.

_"Get a grip Mercer. Humanity isn't what you're made of its how you act. From what I've seen you're more human as whatever it is you are now than the man you where before"_ Cross snapped back.

_"So what's our next move?"_ Ragland asked quickly changing the subject.

_"We need to get to the nuclear device and either destroy it or disable it"_ the Specialist replied cocking his head towards the doctor.

_"Are you sure Dana and Parker are safe here?"_ Alex asked turning to the door.

_"Yes I…Wait did you just say Parker?"_ Cross asked quickly turning to Alex.

_"Yes why?"_

Cross turned sharply. When Dana had brought him back to the group yesterday they had only used their first names. As soon as Alex had said Parker he had realized he was referring to Karen. Cross burst back into the lounge and grabbed Karen by the neck pinning her against the wall and placing his pistol against her head.

_"What the hell are you doing?"_ Dana demanded getting to her feet in shock.

_"Cross put her down!"_ Alex growled from behind him.

_"She's a Blackwatch agent. One of Randall's dogs"_ Cross snarled pressing the barrel against Karen's temple menacingly.

_"What?"_ Alex replied in horror. He knew she'd worked with him at GENTEK but GENTEK wasn't directly affiliated with Blackwatch.

_"Listen Alex I…"_ Karen began but Cross quickly drove his fist into her stomach and she fell to the floor winded.

_"Are you sure about this?"_ Ragland asked looking at Cross suspiciously.

_"Sure? I'm f***ing certain. I was the one who reviewed her file and sent it to Randall. There wasn't a photo because she was going undercover and no one including myself was allowed to see her face less it compromise the mission. Heck I even told Randall not to accept her as she didn't fit the right profile but he still sent her in anyway. I remembered her surname was Parker but I didn't pay enough attention to her first name to remember it"_ Cross replied pointing the gun at her.

_"Look its true ok? I'm a Blackwatch agent"_ Karen coughed getting back to her feet. _"But that's over with now. I warned Alex that you were going to kill him and that got me thrown out of Blackwatch and put under surveillance remember?"_ she snarled glaring at Cross.

_"Or maybe you're still undercover now?"_ Cross snarled back his finger trembling menacingly on the trigger.

Karen turned her blue eyes to Alex for support who was looking at her in shock. Suddenly he pushed Cross aside.

_"You were assigned to spy on me?"_ Alex asked sourly.

_"Yes"_ Karen replied hanging her head slightly.

_"Is that all you were assigned to do? Or were you also assigned to get close to me?"_ Alex continued his voice getting angrier. Realizing what he ment Karen quickly corrected him.

_"No, no I was only assigned to watch you and report back to Randall nothing more. What happened between us wasn't fake"_ she replied tears welling in her eyes.

Alex looked at her for a moment. The emotions seemed genuine enough. _"I believe you"_ Alex said turning away. _"But I just can't deal with this right now."_

_"I've got my eye on you goldilocks"_ Cross growled as he put his weapon back in its holster. _"You try anything and you'll be dead before you can say Blacklight."_

Cross grabbed Alex by the shoulder and pushed him back into the other room._ "We need to take out the nuke"_ the Specialist stated looking at Alex. _"Oh c'mon women break your heart sometimes, that's life now get a grip"_ he continued as he noticed the expression on Alex's face.

_"You-You're right let's take care of this"_ Alex replied shaking his head.

_"Ok the device is arriving by ship tomorrow. Probably in the early hours of the morning if Blackwatch stick to protocol"_ Cross said thoughtfully.

_"I'm guessing its going to be well guarded"_ Alex commented as he propped himself up against a window.

_"If I'm right most of the Blackwatch troops will have pulled out of H.A.M.M.E.R to protect the cargo"_ Cross confirmed.

_"What about the others?"_ Alex asked.

_"Others? Oh you mean the Avengers? They aren't affiliated with Blackwatch so they won't be protecting it but if they find out you're attacking they will most likely come to stop us. They think you're a monster and I'm AWOL"_ Cross replied.

_"So we're going to need a distraction"_ Alex said thoughtfully as he looked out the window.

_"We should go to the Red Zone. Scout the area out first and try and see if we can find a way round this"_ Cross replied as he turned to leave the room followed by Alex.

_"We are going to find out what we can. You guys stay here. It's time we finished this"_ Alex growled turning to Dana, Karen and Ragland as he reentered the lounge.

_"Here"_ Cross said handing Dana a radio-like object.

_"Whats this?"_ she asked looking at it curiously.

_"It's a transmitter. Hook it up to your computer and you can stay in contact with me and Alex"_ he replied as he handed Alex a tiny object and put another in his own ear. Without another word Cross walked out of the building.

_"You better come back!"_ Dana growled looking at Alex sternly.

_"I'll be fine"_ he assured her before hugging his sister and shaking Ragland's hand.

_"Be careful out there Alex"_ Ragland said as he let go of Alex's hand. Leaving just Karen. Alex was still unsure of how he should act around her even though he believed her side of the story. Did he really believe it though? Or did he just want to? Suddenly she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly.

_"Just come back"_ Karen said softly as she broke away from him.

* * *

><p>Alex and Cross had been scouting the red zone for the past few hours and had not found much to be happy about.<p>

_"Well how many are there?"_ Alex asked as Cross came back from surveying his part of the Blackwatch encampment.

_"Lots"_ the Specialist replied as he sat down on the roof.

_"How the hell are we supposed to get through all of those men before the Avengers show up?"_ Alex sighed in annoyance as he looked across the skyline.

_"It may be easier than you think"_ Cross said smiling slighty.

_"Why? Whats going on?"_ Alex asked noticing the smile.

_"Greene has amassed a new army and looks like she's going to attack at daybreak possibly earlier. I'm thinking Blackwatch and the Avengers might have their hands full dealing with her"_ Cross explained.

_"Looks like we have our distraction"_ Alex replied also smiling.

**H.A.M.M.E.R, New York, 10am**

Carol's eyes fluttered open as light from the open window fell on her face. She reached out with her arm and stretched. It was then she became aware of the body beneath her. For a moment she was at a loss then the night before came flooding back to her. Peter's eyes also opened as he felt Carol move.

_"I guess we should get up"_ he commented as his eyes met hers. He still couldn't quite believe what had happened. He knew beforehand he and Carol had something going on but he always pegged it to the fact they were working together and seeing each other all time. He never thought it would get this far. Ms Marvel smiled and leaned in to kiss him before getting out of bed.

They both got dressed and made their way to the briefing room. When they arrived they found they were the last ones to appear and a few of the other Avengers smiled and gave them knowing looks.

_"The ladies love red don't they Spider-stud! You and me, kindred spirits buddy!"_ Deadpool said slapping Spider-man on the back as he sat down much to the shock of everyone else. _"Something else they like is….."_ but he was cut off as a strand of webbing hit him in the face covering his mouth.

_"Finally a good use for that stuff"_ Wolverine smirked as he watched Deadpool try and pull the webbing off.

_"Ok here's the deal"_ Moonstone said turning to the new arrivals. _"We've had word from Blackwatch that Greene has amassed an army. It's too big for the soldiers to fend off on their own so we are going make a stand with them. Greene is controlling the infected, if we can inject her with the cure we should be facing nothing more than mindless animals instead of a conscious fighting force. Due to Osborn's condition I'm taking over as head of H.A.M.M.E.R for the moment"_ she finished turning to glare at Jonathan.

_"Ah yeah ermmm...sorry about that"_ Blaze replied a little sheepishly.

_"I see you're back"_ Spider-man commented as he noctied Venom sitting across the table from him.

_"It'll take a lot more than that to put us down webs"_ Gargan replied bearing his teeth.

_"So how many are we talking here?"_ Ronin asked turning to Moonstone.

_"We don't know. All we do know is it's probably going to make her last attack look like a tea party. Obviously this doesn't leave Spider-man enough time to synthesize enough of the antidote to give to everyone but if we can get Greene it'll knock out their hive mind"_ Karla replied.

_"Where's the Hulk when you need him?"_ Wolverine groaned as he swung back in his chair.

_"We are going to leave for the Red Zone now. I have already sent every available H.A.M.M.E.R agent so that just leaves us. I just wanted to make sure we all know what's going on"_ Moonstone finished looking round the table.

_"Let's finish this"_ Logan growled getting to his feet.

_"This will be a great opportunity to test out my newest chainsaw!"_ Deadpool piped up, finally managing to get the webbing off his mask before running out of the room.

_"Where the hell does he keep getting chainsaws from?"_ Luke asked turning to Wolverine in confusion.

_"With Wade its best not to know. Just go along with it"_ the mutant sighed as he followed the Avengers out of the room.

Before they left Spider-man separated from the group and walked down into H.A.M.M.E.R's labs. He wasn't going into the fight unprepared this time. H.A.M.M.E.R had once been Stark tower before the Civil War and he had worked with Tony Stark in this very lab. Although it had, had a makeover he soon found the control panel he was looking for. He placed his hand on the scanner and watched the light go up and down.

_"Welcome back Spider-man"_ the small screen displayed as a metal case popped out of the wall. Peter made his way over too it and pulled it out. When he opened the case he was met with the familiar red and gold metallic suit that Iron Man had designed for him during the Civil War.

_"I'd like to see the infected try to bite through titanium alloy"_ Spider-man muttered as he pulled off his red and blue suit and replaced it with the red and gold one.

_"I didn't know you still had that suit webs"_ Wolverine commented as Spider-man walked into the jet.

_"I kept it in case I needed it again. I don't see those things being able to bite through this"_ Peter replied as he sat down next to Ms Marvel. Carol looked at him relieved. She had been toying with the thought of him getting bitten again. She had only just been quick enough the first time if he got bitten again it could very well be the end him.

_"Got the present for Greene?"_ Ronin asked turning to Spider-man.

_"Oh yes I almost forgot. Here"_ Spider-man replied handing Client a small pointed object. He had decided that administering the cure would be a lot easier from a distance and had made a specially modified arrow head that Ronin could tip one of his own arrows with. Spider-man lent back and closed his eyes as the jet took off and felt Carol's head on his shoulder as she leant against him.

* * *

><p>The Avengers spent the rest of the day at the Red Zone border preparing and instructing the soldiers. Although the barricade Ghost Rider had set up was still there they could hear the snarls and shrieks from behind it and knew that it wasn't going to hold forever. Using debris they blocked off all the surrounding alleyways so that the civilians wouldn't get hurt and so the infected couldn't branch off to attack them from multiple sides. They would now have to run directly down the street towards them. Blackwatch had also set up a large barricade that the infected would have to break through if they wanted to get out of the Red Zone. A mixture of Blackwatch and H.A.M.M.E.R agents lined its top rifles ready.<p>

Spider-man pulled Carol and Luke aside and into one of the many tents.

_"Listen you guys have nigh impenetrable skin so bites aren't going to get through to you but you could still get infected if you accidently ingest some of the virus so wear these"_ he continued pulling a pair of mask like objects from a case.

_"What are they?"_ Carol asked looking at the object curiously.

_"It's basically a small gas mask it'll keep you from getting infected blood anywhere near your mouth"_ Spider-man explained.

_"Its kind of uncomfortable"_ Cage commented and he put the mask over his mouth.

_"Well I'm sorry your highness I'll remember to line it with silk next time"_ Spider-man replied jokily as Cage left the tent. As Peter began to leave Carol quickly grabbed him, pulled up the bottom of his mask and kissed him passionately on the lips.

_"Don't you dare die on me"_ she said as she broke the kiss and left the tent.

A few hours later it had started to get dark and the noises behind the barricade had become much louder as parts of the wall started to give way. The Avengers and the soldiers were lined up at their posts. A single infected broke from the ruble and was quickly put down by a single shot from Bullseye's sniper rifle. Suddenly they began pouring from the hole in the barricade in droves.

_"Here they come"_ Wolverine growled as he and the other Avengers stood lined in front of the horde a few yards away.

_"There's a fair few of them"_ Moonstone commented trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.

_"This is Greene's final push. If we can take her out then it should break her hold over the infected"_ Spider-man assured her. Although upon seeing the amount of infected still pouring from the barricade he began to question himself.

"_Wait we need them to get a bit closer"_ Carol said as Clint raised his bow.

_"Wait? Wait for what they are running right at us"_ Ronin replied exasperatedly.

_"Wait"_ Ms Marvel insisted.

_"We need to act now!"_ Moonstone said horrified as the horde drew even closer.

_"Just a few more seconds"_ Carol insisted again.

_"Holy shit! They're too close we'll be overwhelmed"_ Bullseye gasped taking a step back as the infected arrived in jumping distance.

_"BLAZE NOW!"_ Ms Marvel shouted turning to Jonathan. The Rider leapt out of Blaze and hellfire exploded from its entire body smashing into the approaching infected.

_"JEEZUS"_ Daken yelled in surprise covering his eyes to protect them from the heat as massive torrents of fire propelled themselves from Ghost Riders body. If there was any doubt in the group that the Ghost Rider was the hardest hitter among them it was completely erased as the smoke disappeared to reveal that the entire horde had been reduced to ash in a single hit.

_"Holy crap"_ Moonstone gasped looking at the black ash that now lined the street.

_"Well that was tiring"_ Ghost Rider said breathlessly as he straightened up. More infected began pouring out of the Red Zone snarling and snapping not seeming perturbed by the attack on their comrades.

_"How many of them are there?"_ Mockingbird asked looking on in horror as a new horde amassed .

_"Blaze can you do that again?"_ Carol asked turning to the Rider who was currently getting onto his flaming bike.

_"Are you kidding me lady? I poured a lot of my energy into that blast"_ Johnny replied revving his bike and grasping a chain.

_"Looks like its back to the old fashioned way"_ Spider-man replied grimly.

_"Wouldn't want to make things to easy now would we?"_ Iron Fist replied as he began charging his Chi punch, watching as the new horde came careering towards them.

* * *

><p><em>"Looks like that's our queue"<em> Alex stated turning to Cross as he saw the explosion created by Ghost Rider's attack from their position ontop of the building. _"So whats the plan?"_

_"Hit them hard, hit them fast and kill anything in a Blackwatch uniform"_ Cross growled cocking his gun. _"It's the begining of the end!"_


	49. All Out War

**New York, Red Zone, 4am**

The sound of gunfire was deafening as the infected hordes clashed with the human resistance. Even Cross was starting to get a headache and he was no stranger to war. He and Alex were currently making their way through the Blackwatch encampment by the docks. Luckliy Cross's assumption had been right, the Avengers and most of the Blackwatch soldiers where distracted fighting Greene's army. They moved quickly and silently from shadow to shadow to avoid being seen.

_"What now?"_ Alex asked as he peered round the corner of a tent and saw a squad of Blackwatch super soldiers.

_"We aren't getting past them without getting seen due to their enhancements"_ Cross whispered.

_"I guess discretion is pretty much impossible from here on out"_ Alex replied.

_"Looks that way"_ Cross replied as unsheathed his combat knife. They both pounced on the unsuspecting group. Their plan was not to draw attention to their presence. "Make it quick, make it silent and be decisive!" these where the words Cross had said before they entered the base and Alex heeded them now.

Quickly appearing behind one of the men he reached out with his hand pulling the man back and quickly ripping out his throat before he could utter a sound. The soldier next to him was about to shout a word of warning to the others but in a flash Cross's blade was embedded in his right temple silencing him.

_"Same thing again"_ Cross whispered as they approached another pair of super soldiers from behind. Cross kicked the nearest man in the back of his knee causing him to buckle and fall to his knee's. The Specialist placed his hand over the Blackwatch soldiers mouth and tore his knife's blade through the man's throat, causing crimson liquid to spurt onto the ground. Cross released the dead man and turned just in time to see Alex consume the other.

_"Can you actually taste them when you do that?"_ Cross asked as the tendrils retracted into Alex's body.

_"Not really"_ Alex replied shrugging. They tore through the rest of the base with lethal and expert precision taking out group after group of Blackwatch as they came across them. It wasn't long until they made it to the docks.

_"So where the hell is the ship?"_ Alex asked squinting and looking out over the water for any sign of the ship.

_"It's probably a few miles out at the moment"_ Cross replied also looking for any sign of the ship.

_"What do we do?"_ Alex asked turning to the Ex-Blackwatch Captain.

_"We need to get out to it before it docks. We may need time to disable the bomb and we won't have time if the thing docks here and we're surround by Blackwatch"_ Cross replied thoughtfully.

_"I could try and swim us out"_ Alex suggested remembering the speed he'd moved at when he'd swam to Ryker's.

_"They'd see us coming and be on alert, making our job harder"_ Cross said dismissing the idea.

_"How about a helicopter"_ Alex suggested pointing to a landing pad that was partly obscured by a tent.

_"That would work. We could land then make our presence known. They'd probably just think it was a routine check but….."_

_"But what?"_ Alex asked.

_"I don't know how to fly a helicopter"_ Cross replied sheepishly.

_"You're the Captain of Blackwatch and you don't know how to fly a helicopter?"_ Alex said looking at Robert Cross and raising an eyebrow.

_"Oh I'm sorry Alex I was a bit busy containing Blacklight outbreaks to take lessons"_ Cross replied sarcastically.

_"Fine I'll do it"_ Alex said as he turned his attention back to the vehicle.

_"You can fly one of those things?"_ Cross asked surprised.

_"No but I'm a fast learner"_ Alex replied smiling as he watched the pilot approach the helicopter.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later they were in the air flying across the dark water keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of the boat.<p>

_"So you gain the memories and abilities of anyone you absorb?"_ Cross asked turning to Alex who was currently flying the helicopter after having consumed the pilot.

_"Pretty much"_ Mercer replied as he scanned the dark skyline for any sign of the boat. It was the early hours of the morning but the sun still hadn't shown its face yet.

_"That's kind of creepy"_ Cross mutter laying back in his seat and listening to the humming sound of the helicopter blades.

_"There it is!"_ Alex suddenly said leaning forward in his seat. Cross looked out across the water and sure enough he saw the bright lights being emitted from what could only be a ship. Suddenly the radio crackled into life.

_"Identify yourself"_ a voice said across the radio speakers.

_"Treasury this is Silverbird. Requesting a landing permit"_ Alex replied into the radio using the dead pilots voice.

_"Hold on Silverbird sending request through"_ the voice replied.

_"Are you sure this is going to work?"_ Alex asked turning to Cross.

_"They should just think it's a routine inspection and once we land it'll be to late for them anyway"_ Cross replied still staring at the ship.

_"Permission granted Silverbird you're clear to land"_ the radio crackled.

_"Copy that Treasury"_ Alex replied before setting the landing gear.

_"Whats the point in these routine inspections anyway?"_ one soldier asked turning to the other as the helicopter.

_"No f***ing clue. Probably just to keep the general happy"_ the other replied covering his eyes to protect them from the strong wind kicked up by the helicopters blades. _"You lazy ass's coming?"_ he shouted as the engine stopped but no-one got out. Suddenly one of the doors jerked opened.

_"Hello boys"_ Cross smiled as he stepped out of the vehicle.

_"It's Cross put him down!"_ one of them shouted but the Specialist was already on them. He drove his elbow into the nearest one's head while simultaneously shooting the second in the forehead with his pistol. Gunfire erupted from all around him and Cross was forced to take cover behind the helicopter to avoid the bullets. _"You know anytime you want to help Alex!"_ he shouted as a bullet whizzed past his shin. No sooner had he said this spikes erupted from the ships floor impaling and lacerating the Blackwatch teams.

Alex charged at the others not even feeling the bullets as they bounced off his armor. He span sending his blade in a large cleaving arc cutting the unfortunate soldiers to pieces. After a few minutes all the men lay dead on the ship's deck.

_"Quick we have to find the bomb!"_ Cross said pushing past Alex as his armor retracted. They tore through the interior of the ship killing anything that stood in their way. Finally they found what they were looking for.

_"It's in there?"_ Alex asked curiously as Cross began fiddling with a control panel on a huge vault like door.

_"Yes. Its Blackwatch protocol to transport nuclear weapons in a contained environment. Sometimes even the control center is in there for safety reasons"_ Cross replied as he continued hacking the vaults security.

_"Don't bother with that"_ Alex said striking the metal but to his surprise he barely left a dent.

_"This vault is made to take the brunt of a nuclear explosion and bring the damage down to a minimum radius in case it goes off accidently"_ Cross said as he tapped away on the control panel. _"Even you won't be breaking this down quickly."_

A few minutes later and the door slid open. _"What the hell?"_ Cross muttered in surprise as he saw two dead Blackwatch soldiers lying across their computers.

_"Who killed them?"_ Alex asked also entering the vault and looking at the dead soldiers.

_"Not important! You keep watch I'm going to try and disable the bomb"_ Cross said as he pushed one of the dead bodies aside and looked at the computer screen. _"What the f*** is going on?"_ the Specialist gasped as he looked at the screen and saw the last command that had been entered.

_"What is it? What's going on?"_ Alex asked appearing next to Cross.

_"Something's wrong!"_ Cross said as he clicked away at the keyboard. _"The device isn't heading for the Red Zone someone's changed its trajectory"_ he continued.

_"What?"_ Alex asked turning to him confused.

_"It's not heading for the Red Zone its heading for the uninfected part of the city"_ Cross replied equally surprised.

_"But….I don't understand. Why would Blackwatch do that?"_ Alex replied.

_"Boys, boys, you still haven't figured out what's going on have you?"_ Both Cross and Alex turned round as Randall stepped into the vault.

* * *

><p><strong>Back At The Red Zone<strong>

_"Hold them! They can't be allowed to get past the defenses"_ a Blackwatch soldier shouted from his position on the barricade.

_"Its all-out war down there!"_ his comrade commented as he began firing into the horde.

_"If they get past us here we're all dead!"_ the first one replied also firing into the horde.

_"Luckily we've got some artilary"_ the other replied as he watched Ghost Rider carve through the sea of infected below with his bike, incinerating any infected unfortunate enough to get in his way.

_"Hey Ghosty heads up!"_ Deadpool shouted as he landed on the back of the flaming bike.

_"What the hell are you doing?"_ Blaze asked turning his head momentarily to Deadpool before quickly returning his eyes to the trajectory infront of him. Suddenly the grating sound of a chainsaw firing up resonated in his ear.

_"You ever played Dead Rising 2?"_ the mercenary asked from behind him.

_"Never mind. Forget I asked and get on with it"_ the Rider hissed as he zigzagged through the infected. Deadpool gripped the back of the bike with his legs and clutching a chainsaw in each arm he extended them. The bike ploughed through the infected. Any that where fortunate enough to escape the fire emitting from the flaming bike quickly found themselves decapitated by the two chainsaws protruding from each side.

_"Now this is a team-up!"_ Deadpool shouted excitedly as they cut a bloodly swath through the horde.

_"You still with me kid?"_ Wolverine growled coming back to back with Daken.

_"Anything you can do I can do better old man!"_ his son snapped back as he drove his claws into a pair of infected severing their heads.

_"We can't keep this up forever!"_ Spider-man shouted to Carol as she grabbed a hunter and tossed it into the other infected knocking them over.

_"I know"_ Ms Marvel replied slightly breathlessly. They had been fighting for the past three hours to keep the infected at bay and Greene still hadn't shown her face. Suddenly Cage came flying backwards crashing into Spider-man and sending them both sprawling to the floor.

_"I think I found her!"_ Cage groaned as he pulled himself off Spider-man. Greene suddenly appeared in front of them. She drove her hand into Cage's stomach lifting him off his feet. Greene then lashed out with her foot aiming a kick to Spider-man's head. Even with his spider-sense Peter only just managed to dodge the blow and watched as her foot sped narrowly past his left temple. Using his agility he quickly put some distance between himself and Greene.

_"Spider! Sling me!"_

Spider-man turned to see Iron Fist, his fist already glowing as the energy began to accumulate. Peter shot a webline from his wrist snagging Iron Fist and using his inhuman strength he span on his foot lifting Danny off his feet and sending him flying towards Greene arm extended. She didn't have time to understand what Spider-man was doing before the full force of Iron Fist's energy punch combined with Spider-man's momentum hit her in the face. Greene was thrown back like a bullet from a gun and a lot of infected fell as her body slammed through them.

_"Did we KO her?"_ Iron Fist asked quickly getting to his feet and beating down an infected as it tried to bite him.

_"Not sure"_ Spider-man replied landing beside him and driving his fist into another infected. Suddenly spikes began to erupt from the ground.

_"I guess that answers your question!"_ Ms Marvel said as she swooped down and pulled Spider-man and Iron Fist out of harm's way.

_"Where the hell is Clint?"_ Spider-man growled jumping from Carol's grip and shooting a webline. _"Carol can you and Danny hold off red terror down there while I find Ronin? We need that arrow!"_ Spider-man asked as he swung into a hunter that was about to leap at Wolverine and Daken.

_"You got it. Just don't take too long webs"_ Iron Fist said as he and Ms Marvel quickly reengaged Greene.

This time Greene was prepared and leapt quickly to one side as Ms Marvels fist came crashing towards her. She drove her fist into the back of the heroines head smashing her into the tarmac floor while quickly ducking as Danny's glowing fist flew towards her. Her claws extended from her hand and she slashed the ninja across the chest sending a spray of blood into the air. Greene didn't let up, she didn't fancy getting hit by Iron Fist's energy punch again so she kicked him in the stomach causing him to buckle over. Carol quickly got back to her feet and hit Greene in the back with an energy blast. Iron Fist got gingerly to his feet obviously not in very good condition after the attack.

_"Looks like it's just you and me now"_ Greene snarled looking at Carol. Ms Marvel fired another energy blast at the redhead but she dodged it and used her speed to quickly close the gap between them. Greene swiped with her long claws and felt one of the slice Ms Marvels skin. Carol retaliated by lashing out with her hand striking Greene in the head and knocking her into the tarmac. "Shit that hurt" Carol thought clutching the stab wound to her arm. Suddenly Greene cut loose and using her full speed she appeared behind Carol and grabbed her by the neck.

_"You aren't going to accomplish anything here"_ Elizabeth growled looking at the blond as she struggled to free her windpipe from her grip. _"This world is mine!"_

Carol could see darkness begin to cloud her vision as she began to lose consciousness. Greene was jerked off her feet as a chain snaked around her neck and pulled her forcefully back causing her to release Carol.

_"Wow looks like you roped yourself a big one pa!"_ Deadpool said in his best redneck accent from the back of the bike as the Ghost Rider's chain caught Greene and began pulling her along the ground behind the vehicle.

_"Shut up and try and keep her contained while I get her on her own"_ Jonathan hissed as the bike revved loudly. Greene got to her feet and attempted to stop the bike by grabbing the chain that was wrapped around her and digging her heals into the floor. To her surprise the tarmac simply broke beneath her feet but the bike did begin to slow. _"What the hell are you doing back there? I told you to keep her down!"_ Blaze growled not taking his eyes off the road.

_"1 second almost done!"_ came the mercenary's reply as he pulled a few metal objects from his backpack. Suddenly something jabbed the Ghost Rider in the back.

_"What the hell are yo.…Is that an RPG?"_

_"Nope this is my BFG"_ Deadpool replied before pulling the trigger, sending the missile flying towards Greene. It hit her head on and the resulting explosion was huge. The shockwave threw both Blaze and Deadpool from the bike and knocked over the surrounding infected.

_"What was that?"_ Ghost Rider growled getting to his feet and turning his attention to the enormous smoking crater where Greene had been.

_"A modified RPG. I took out the normal explosive and replaced it with 10pounds of military grade C4. I call it the BFG!"_ Deadpool replied as he picked up his right arm that had been blown off in the explosion and proceeded to reattach it.

_"Are you f***ing crazy? You could have killed our ally's!"_ Blaze shouted at the mercenary. _"What kind of idiot packs an RPG with 10pounds of C4 anyway?"_

_"Well in my defense I was very, very bored at the time"_ Deadpool replied as he took an infected's head off with his katana.

_"What the hell does BFG stand for anyway?"_ Ghost Rider mumbled as he turned to look for his bike.

_"Big F***ing Gun!"_ Deadpool replied answering his question. Greene burst from the smoking crater her eyes wide with anger.

_"I'm going to tear off your god damn head!"_ she snarled looking at Deadpool.

_"My head? Ah crap"_ the crimson mercenary muttered as he produced an uzi and emptied a clip into Greene as she approached. Greene pounced on Deadpool, driving her claws into his chest and pinning him to the floor.

_"I want to hear you scream!"_ she snarled her emerald eyes staring wildly at the man beneath her.

**"Should we scream?"** his inner voice asked curiously. "Sure why not" Deadpool replied thoughtfully.

_"Ahhhhhhhhh someone help me! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh"_ he screamed in a high pitched voice. Greene looked at the man beneath her in confusion._ "How was that?"_ Deadpool asked looking up at her. _"I could probably go a little higher like those chicks in the horror movies. Hey if you take your claws out of my lungs I could do one of those really long high pitched ones, like in Scream!"_

_"Shut up!"_ Greene snapped pulling one hand from his chest and slicing the mercenary's neck. Blood splashed onto the tarmac from the large gash in Deadpools neck. Greene felt a twinge of pain and she looked round to see Deadpool had driven a knife into each of her knees.

_"What do you think that is going to do anyway? I'll have healed from it in a matter of seconds"_ she snarled looking back to the mercenary. Suddenly Ghost Rider appeared behind her and wrapped his chain around her chest securing her arms in place. Greene tried to get to her feet to shake Blaze off when she realized she couldn't. Deadpool's knives had cut the tendons in her knees.

_"Gotcha!"_ the Rider hissed in her ear. Deadpool produced another pair of knives and drove them into her chest causing her to buckle slightly.

_"You've….got…..NOTHING!"_ Greene screamed as spikes erupted from her body impaling both Deadpool and Ghost Rider but neither of the relinquished their grip.

_"Hurry up! This hurts more than it looks"_ Ghost Rider shouted as Greene's spines ripped through him.

"What? Who's he talking too?" Greene thought. Then she saw Spider-man swinging round them clutching Ronin. Clint looked down the arrow on the bow's string.

_"I'm seriously going to enjoy this"_ he muttered as Spider-man swung in closer, giving him a clear shot at Greene. The arrow flew from the bow and struck Greene dead in the head.

_"Pow right in the kisser!"_ Deadpool shouted triumphantly as both he and Blaze let go of Greene and threw her aside.

_"You really think an arrow to the head is going to...What is this? What have you done?"_ Greene screamed as she pulled the arrow out and dropped to her knee's clutching her head. A black substance began flowing from her mouth and she began to cough violently.

_"It's over Greene"_ Ms Marvel said as she landed and stood alongside the others.

_"Is it going to kill her?"_ the Rider asked turning his flaming head to Spider-man.

_"No, it should cure her"_ Peter replied as he watched Greene writhe in Pain.

_"I hope it happens soon. There's to many infected. If she doesn't turn back soon we could be overrun"_ Carol commented as she watched the rest of the Avenger's valiantly hold back the infected horde.

_"You think this is over simply because you taken me? You fools"_ Greene growled as she passed out.

_"Did it work?"_ Deadpool asked looking at the motionless woman.

_"Yes she's human now"_ Spider-man confirmed bending down and pulling up her eyelid to check her eye color before picking her up.

_"Hey! Have you guys finished screwing around with Greene yet? Hurry up and use the cure so we can finish this"_ Spider-woman yelled from overhead as she blasted a group of infected.

_"Somethings wrong"_ Clint said looking at the horde as it continued its assault.

_"Why aren't they stopping?"_ Carol asked looking on in confusion as the infected pressed their assault.

_"Fall back!"_ Spider-man shouted realizing something was amiss as he swung past the Avenger's carrying Greene in one arm. Suddenly more infected came crashing through the barricade.

_"I thought you said if we took down Green the infected would retreat!"_ Logan shouted to Moonstone as they broke away from the fight.

_"I don't understand. They should be nothing but mindless animals now but they seem to be pressing their attack"_ Moonstone replied confused as she flew up to join Spider-man and Carol.

_"What if Greene wasn't the only one controling them?"_ Spider-man said darkly as they fell back to the Blackwatch barricade with the infected in hot pursuit.

* * *

><p><strong>Back On The Boat<strong>

_"What is this? Whats going on?"_ Cross demanded raising his weapon.

_"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to blow up the non-infected part of New York and allow the infection to spread"_ Randall replied.

_"What? Why? What do you have to gain from that? Killing every uninfected person is pointless what kind of human would do something like that for no reason?"_ Cross asked in confusion.

_"You're right. No human in their right mind would"_ Randall replied smiling.

_"What the f*** are you talking about?"_ Cross demanded confusion etched on his face.

_"General Randall has been dead for some time now. Since August the 8th 1968 to be exact"_ the man continued.

Alex stared at Randall for a moment. _"Pariah?"_ Alex asked looking at the general in shock.

_ "Very good Alex. It's good to see one of you has a brain"_ Randall replied sarcastically.

_"No, that's not possible. You can't be Pariah. Pariah wasn't even born then"_ Cross replied disbelievingly.

_"Oh you misunderstand me. I am merely possessing the general. When this pig Randall infected Idaho just to create me, my mother gave him a parting gift"_ Pariah replied slyly. _"He cut off his arm but he wasn't quick enough to stop the infection entering his body and staying dormant. As soon as I was born Randall ceased to exist. Remember I have complete control over all the infected. Apart from you two of course. Why do you think my mother is still alive? They had me, the thing they came for. Why keep her alive?"_

_"Because you took over Randall's body and prevented them!"_ Cross replied as he began to realize just how deep this went.

_"Exactly. Why should I go about creating an army when I could do the same amount of damage by possessing a single man. Of course I couldn't have done this without you Alex"_ Pariah said turning to him. _"I counted on your lust for vengeance to get me what I wanted and you didn't disappoint. Who gave the order to bring that nuclear device here? I did! Who gave the order to bring my mother here when she wasn't needed? I did! Who gave the command to have Alex Mercer killed? I did!"_ Pariah smirked as he paced the room in front of them.

_"That's why the scanner went off when you were with us at H.A.M.M.E.R. It wasn't detecting Spider-man you were standing next to Deadpool. It was detecting you!"_ Cross gasped.

_"Keep going Captain"_ Pariah replied amused.

_"The nuclear device is going to be used on the defense lines. You're going to take down as many of our men as possible including the Avengers so the infection can spread across the entire city"_ Cross replied, it was all falling into place.

_"With most of them dead how long do you think it will take for me to swarm over the city?"_ Pariah replied smugly.

_"This was never a containment it was an invasion"_ Alex growled as he absorbed the information.

_"Yes it was. All of you acted exactly as I predicted. Taggart followed orders and you Alex released the virus, granted I hadn't counted on you bonding with the virus but that is neither here nor there. The only one who didn't act as I anticipated was you Cross. Frankly I'm surprised. Last time you were given orders to kill hundreds of people you didn't hesitate. Oh well I guess that's what comes of not planning for every outcome"_ Pariah replied thoughtfully.

Cross snarled and tried to lunge at him but Alex stepped in his path.

_"There's still one thing I don't understand"_ Alex said looking at Pariah.

_"And what is that?"_

_"The only reason I was tipped off that I was going to be killed was by Karen because we were lovers. She wasn't ordered to tell me. How did you know she would warn me? If she hadn't warned me Cross would have found me, killed me and your plan would have been screwed"_ Mercer said eyeing Pariah.

_"I will admit that was a gamble on my part but remember I was the one who assigned Karen to watch you. I was also the one who accepted her as a Blackwatch agent. Cross I believe you even advised me against her joining Blackwatch. Do you remember why?" _Pariah replied turning to Cross.

_"Because she was governed too much by her emotions and had difficulty differentiating between her work and social life"_ Cross growled back.

_"Ironic isn't it? In most of those hollywood movies you see on the big screen love is generally the thing that saves you but in this case it is what killed you all. If Karen hadn't fallen for you Alex, Cross would have killed you and I'd be off looking for another scientist with the same selfish explosive tendencies as you. Which would have pushed my plan back a few more years"_ Pariah finished still smirking.

_"YOU MANIPULATIVE SON OF A B****!"_ Alex screamed lunging at Pariah followed closely by Cross.


	50. End

**On the boat**

Alex lashed out with his clawed hand aiming to take Randall's head off. Blind rage at what this thing had done to him was driving Alex now. He couldn't see or think straight, all he could see was red. Pariah dodged the blow effortlessly and jumped back but Cross was already on him. As soon as Pariah's feet touched the ground he felt the barrel of Cross's gun pressed against his head.

The Specialist didn't hesitate and pulled the trigger. The bullet ripped through Randall's skull sending blood and gore into the air. Pariah turned Randall's head to Cross completely unfazed by the attack.

_"C'mon surely you can do better than that!"_ Pariah smirked grabbing Cross and using him as a shield to block another attack from Alex.

_"Damn it Mercer. Watch where you're swinging those things"_ he growled as Alex's claws slashed him across the chest. Pariah threw Cross aside and punched Alex hard in the face as he took a step back.

"Shit" Cross thought as he pulled himself to his feet. He thought perhaps Alex could have held off Randall or Pariah or whatever the hell this thing was claiming to be while he disabled the bomb. Unfortunately from the way Randall had easily dispatched them both that wasn't going to be an option.

_"God I hate humans. They're so cramped"_ Pariah muttered to himself as he began to reshaped Randall's body. Randall's missing arm regrew and his skin began to mutate into the same black shell-like armor Alex had. _"That's better. At least being inside this human's head is more bearable now"_ Pariah continued as he turned back to Cross and Alex. The thing that stood in front of them now, bore no resemblance to the general. It was almost identical to Alex in his armored form except its mouth was visible and so where the long pointed teeth protruding from it. Alex and Cross circled the creature warily looking for an attack point.

_"How the hell are you doing this?"_ Cross growled. _"You're supposed to be on lockdown in project Crusade."_

_"You really think anything you did was capable of containing me? I've merely been playing possum all these years waiting for the perfect moment"_ Pariah replied grinning and showing his serrated teeth. _"Just before I ordered the bombs arrival I slaughtered everyone in the Crusade facility. Killing McMullen was especially gratifying considering all the crap that little rat put me and my mother through."_

Suddenly Alex recommenced his attack lunging quickly with his bladed hand. Cross followed suit attacking Pariah from the opposite flank. Lashing out with both hands Pariah caught both their arms stopping their attacks mid-strike. Spinning violently he tossed both men over his shoulders. Both Alex and Cross hit the metal wall with a sickening crack. Alex was back on his feet first closely followed by Cross who spat a stream of blood from his mouth as he did.

_"You're fighting a pointless battle"_ Pariah began as he blocked and deflected both their attacks with lighting reflexes. _"I'm stronger than you"_ he began, slamming him palm into Alex's face before smashing him into the metal floor causing it to cave in slightly. _"I'm faster than you"_ Pariah continued moving so fast he practically disappeared from Cross view before appearing behind him and kicking him into Alex as he began to get back to his feet. _"I'm superior to you in every conceivable way and I'm not even physically in this room"_ the creature finished grasping both Alex and Cross by their necks and pinning them against the metal wall.

_"That…..might….be true"_ Alex coughed as he tried to break out of Pariah's grip. _"But you're nowhere near as pissed off as we are!"_ Alex finished as he took on his armor form and sliced off Pariah's arm with his bladed arm. Cross also broke free driving his knife into Pariahs wrist and slicing off his hand. Pariah jumped back putting some distance between him. His arms grew back almost instantaneously. Not giving Pariah time to recover both Cross and Mercer lunged at him. After trading a few blows Alex and Cross found themselves back to back.

"How fast is this thing?" Cross thought as he realized Pariah was moving fast enough to fight both of them at the same time even when they were back to back. One second he was in front of Alex the next he was in front of Cross. All this time the boat was edging closer to the shore. "We can't beat him" Cross thought as Pariah dodged another of his attacks effortlessly.

_"Dana how far are we from the dock?"_ he asked into the microphone.

_"Another few minutes and the blast range will hit the uninfected zone"_ Dana's voice crackled down the earpiece. _"What the hell are you guys doing anyway?"_

_"We may have a slight problem"_ Cross replied as he dodged Pariah's clawed hand.

_"Well you better hurry your ass's up"_ Dana finished as she went back to following their movements on her screen. Suddenly Pariah struck them both again, sending them flying into the metal wall next to the door they had entered through. As Cross got back to his feet he looked past Pariah at the bomb. He knew what he had to do.

**In the Red Zone**

"We can't beat them" Spider-man thought as he and the Avengers fought with all their might to prevent the infected from breaking out of the Red Zone. He'd placed Greene in the Blackwatch encampment safely secured in a cell in case the cure hadn't fully taken effect. Suddenly he felt pressure on his left shoulder and turned to find an infected biting him. "Didn't think you be able to bite through that" he muttered as the creature tried in vain to bite through the titanium alloy. The mechanical arms Iron Man had incorporated into the suit burst from his back throwing the infected off him.

_"We need to try and clear the civilians out of the area behind the barricade. We're going to lose ground and we can't afford to have any more people hurt in the process"_ Mockingbird shouted to him as she kicked an infected off the top of the barricade.

_"You guys go! Me and the Marvels can buy you a few minutes"_ Ghost Rider shouted as he, Carol and Moonstone sent a wave of energy blasts into the frontline of the infected. A few of the other hero's broke away from the melee and began evacuating the people further behind the barricade.

Just as Peter got the last family out of the building he was evacuating the blockade gave way. The huge pile of metal and concrete crashed to the ground, sending the hero's and soldiers on top of it sprawling to the floor.

_"Dear god"_ Mockingbird gasped, watching as the infected swarmed over it like ants. Screaming filled the air as the soldiers were torn limb from limb by the hungry horde. Peter quickly lunged forward determined to save as many as he could. He kicked a hunter off one of the screaming men and saw the beast had ripped the mans chest open. His head began to swim as the true horror of what was happening set in. Taking a step back he slipped on something and as he got back to his feet he saw his hands where coated in blood. His head began to swim faster and vomit began to swell in his throat.

"Can't think. Blood, to much blood" Spider-man thought desperately as a hunter jumped him. His vison was blurred but he could just make out the creature's claws as its hand clawed at his chest. Although its claws couldn't penetrate the armor the force of the blow winded him making it even harder to concentrate. The fact that it could pierce the armor made the hunter frustrated and it began clawing even harder at the metal, intent on breaking through. Spider-man was sure he felt a rib break as the creature continued its assault. "Get up! Get up damn it" Peter thought as he tried to throw the hunter off him.

A flash of yellow light struck the creature in the head blowing it off its feet. Carol quickly appeared at his side, scooped him up and flew away as a group of infected began to make its way in their direction. Peter still couldn't think straight. This wasn't his usual fight. He wasn't a soldier and had never seen the sort of horrific scenes that where going on down below. They landed behind the other Avengers so Peter could get some breathing room.

_"It's over"_ he murmured as Carol supported him. _"We can't win. There's to many."_

_"No shit Sherlock"_ Deadpool piped up as cut down a pair of infected only to have another pair replace them instantly.

_"We need to leave now!"_ Venom snarled as he drove his clawed hand into a hunter's chest.

_"We can't. There's still too many innocent people to close to this area. If we do that they'll get slaughtered"_ Ghost Rider hissed as he desperately tried to keep the infected from getting the civilians who were running away from the scene.

_"Looks like it's us or them"_ Ms Marvel said as she let go of Spider-man seeing he could stand on his own again.

_"Not much of a choice is it?"_ Peter replied, breathing heavily.

_"Fall back regroup and we'll make a stand there"_ Luke said realizing that they were too scattered to put up a good fight in their current position. They quickly broke away from the fight, pulling the other Avengers with them. Once they had put some distance between them and the infected they turned to survey the situation. Surprisingly the infected seemed to be regrouping as well.

_"Well I guess this is it"_ Ronin said clutching his bleeding arm.

_"F*** this I ain't dying for anyone"_ Bullseye growled as he began to leave.

_"You're not going anywhere!"_ Mockingbird yelled grabbing him by the arm. _"For once in your miserable life Lester do something right. As soon as we're dead the infected will swarm over the city. You're a dead man either way at least make it count for something!"_ Bullseye looked at her angrily but he knew she was right. _"And you!"_ She continued turning to her ex-husband _"You're the most annoying pig-headed man I've ever met!"_

_"Well thanks"_ Ronin muttered.

_"But for some reason I still love you"_ she finished, kissing him.

_"Get a room"_ Ghost Rider muttered revving his bike.

_"I wonder what dying feels like?"_ Iron fist mused as the infected began to charge.

_"It tickles"_ Deadpool replied katana already in hand.

_"Sorry we didn't get to spend more time together"_ Spider-man said turning to Carol.

_"We're not going to die"_ Ms Marvel replied looking at Spider-man fiercely.

"_If we do I just want you to know.."_

_"Oh god no! Don't say it!"_ Deadpool interrupted.

_"That I..."_ Spider-man continued.

_"Don't do it! It sounds corny in movies and now won't be any different!"_

_"I love you"_ Peter finished.

_"That's it now I'm looking forward to dying. You just turned what could have been an epic last stand fight into a love scene. Thanks for ruining the mood!"_ Deadpool muttered. Carol ignored the mercenary's rant, lifted peter's mask above his mouth and kissed him.

_"So do I."_

_"Well if I'm dead either way I may as well give it a shot now"_ the mercenary piped up again, grabbing Spider-woman and kissing her through his mask.

_"Jerk!"_ she growled punching him in stomach.

"_Oh well at least now I can die knowing I've ticked that off my bucket list"_ he finished as they all turned their attention back to the horde.

_"Bet I kill more of them than you"_ Daken growled turning to his father.

_"Bring it on kid"_ Logan replied smiling slightly and eyeing the infected. Just as the horde was in striking distance the ground began to shake and a huge booming sound echoed through the air. The infected stopped dead turning their heads towards the sound.

_"What the hell is that?"_ Luke asked as the ground continued to shake.

_"I think that might have something to do with it"_ Moonstone replied pointing in the direction of the docks.

_"Is that what I think it is?"_ Logan asked looking in shock at the huge mushroom shaped cloud over the water.

_"An atom bomb"_ Spider-man confirmed recognizing the shape. The infected suddenly began to shriek and started running in all directions as if couldn't understand what was happening.

_"Their connections been severed"_ Moonstone gasped watching as the creatures fell over one another clumsily.

"What the hell just happened?" Carol thought looking over the water.

**A few minutes earlier**

Cross knew what he had to do. Alex got back to his feet snarling at Pariah. He was about to launch himself at the creature when something struck him in the stomach. Cross spun on his heel and delivered another kick to Alex's head propelling him out of the nuclear vault. Pariah watched the events with as much surprise as Alex. Before Alex could get to his feet Cross was at the control panel typing in commands. The nuclear vault slammed shut and Alex heard the mechanism as it locked into place.

_"Cross what the hell are you doing?"_ Alex shouted into his earpiece as he began striking the reinforced metal.

_"We can't beat him Alex but we can't let him get the bomb to the city either"_ Cross voice replied down the microphone.

_"What the hell are you talking about!"_ Alex shouted back still pummeling the steel door.

"_Don't worry about it. It's not like I could fly the helicopter away anyway"_ Cross replied chuckling slightly. It was then Alex understood what he was going to do.

_"CROSS OPEN THE GOD DAMN DOOR!"_ he yelled again desperately pounding the material.

_"You're wasting time Alex"_ Cross replied _"get out now! By the way, sorry for trying to kill you"_ he finished taking out his earpiece and throwing to the floor.

Suddenly Pariah was on him and pushed his long bladed hand through Cross's chest, impaling him.

_"What the hell are you trying to pull?"_ Pariah snarled.

_"I'm sorry"_ Cross replied ignoring the question.

_"What?"_ Pariah asked confused feeling the warmth from Cross's blood as it trickled down his arm.

_"I'm sorry for what happened to you. I'm sorry for what we did to your mother"_ the Captain replied quickly pulling out another pistol and pointing it at Pariah.

_"That can't even tickle me"_ the creature replied mockingly.

_"I know this can't but that will"_ Cross replied quickly changing targets to the bomb sitting across the other end of the room. Pariah turned his head in the direction Cross's gun was now pointing. _"Randall if you're still in there somewhere"_ Cross continued staring at Pariah._ "then F*** you!"_ he finished as he pulled the trigger. He'd kept his promise to the girl and smiled as the light of the explosion engulfed him.

_"God f***ing damn it!"_ Alex growled pounding the control panel of the helicopter with his hand in frustration. Although he and Cross didn't really get along, Cross wasn't a monster and didn't deserve this. Then the ship blew. The turbulence caused the helicopter to rock and shake violently in the air as shockwaves emitted from the explosion. Every light on the control panel went red and the helicopter blades stopped turning as the light caught up and took the helicopter into the explosion.

* * *

><p>Then sun had come up and shone brightly on the city below. The infected had now either retreated back to the Red Zone or were being rounded up by the Avengers and remaining H.A.M.M.E.R agents for treatment. A crow landed on the dock and began pecking at a black substance that washed up on the shore. Suddenly it began to move and the bird screeched as the substance began to smother it. A few seconds later Alex Mercer's body reformed and he looked over the water for a moment before walking away.<p>

_"I looked for the truth. Found it. Didn't like it. Wish to hell I could forget it. Alex Mercer, this city suffered for his mistakes, for what he did at the station. Whoever he was, he's a part of me. Everytime I close my eyes I see the faces of a thousand men screaming as I take their lives. Something I'll relive forever. What have I become? Something less than human but also something more" _he thought as he walked towards the city.

**-End (for now)**

* * *

><p>I thought this would be a good place to end it for now (might do an epilogue if i get any spare time). I might do a follow up after I've finished Prototype 2 and can come up with a story-line. Until then thanks to everyone who reviewed and kept me motivated.<p> 


	51. Epilogue

Gunfire rang through the air. The sound of infected screaming as the bullets tore through them echoed in the man's ear. He and his team were surrounded. There was no way out. They were going to die here today and Heller couldn't have cared less. His family were gone and his will to live with it.

He drove his combat knife into the nearest one's head while simultaneously shooting another in the head with his pistol. He knew his family wouldn't have wanted this for him. His wife would have wanted him to move on, to try and find some peace and his daughter? He held back the tears as her face appeared in his mind followed by that small voice.

Anger took over, anger at the injustice that had been done and took out another pair of infected tears beginning to fall from his eyes as he did. Heller knew who was responsible and yet he could not get revenge for what had been done as the man in question had completely disappeared since the end of the last outbreak. Some said he was dead, others that he was out there somewhere waiting for next opportunity to strike.

James had seen the footage taken the day of is familiy's death. Watched in horror as the building had collapsed leaving only Alex Mercer standing amongst its ruins. He'd broken down then and there. James Heller had been only a few months away from being transferred back home from the war in Iraq. He hadn't been there to save them and that hurt even more than being unable to find Mercer. Pain shot through his left leg and he looked down to see one of the infected sinking its teeth into his flesh. He turned to shoot the creature and felt another grab him as he did. As more of them began to pour over him, he closed his eyes ready for it all to end. That was why he had volunteered for this mission. He wanted to die and Heller knew that death wasn't far away as the pain of dozens of bites tore at him.

Suddenly they stopped and light returned as the infected were tossed off him by a great force. Then he was in the air, the wind whipped his face, he felt arms cradling him and the telltale sound of footsteps running. James was in pain, a lot of pain. He knew it was over for him no matter if this person gave him the cure or not. His body was broken and his mind was worse. It was then he realized that they were moving vertically. As he processed this he was thrown to the floor. Heller strained his neck to look up at his savior his own blood clouding his vision and his heart skipped a beat. Alex Mercer stared back at him.

_"You son of a b***!"_ James managed to gurgle as blood filled his mouth.

Mercer just stared back at him, his yellow eyes burning. Suddenly and without warning Mercer drove his left hand into Heller's stomach lifting him off his feet. If the bites had been painful then this was excruciating. James could feel Alex snaking his way inside him. When Mercer pulled his arm away Heller sank to his knee's clutching his stomach. James gave Mercer one final look of utter hatred before passing out.

* * *

><p><strong>Note: <strong>I won't be starting the next part of The Infection until i've actually got to play and finish Prototype 2. As I only buy games on PC I have to wait longer due to the release dates. I only wrote this to show I haven't forgotten about it and do plan to continue. I already have a scenario set up in my head I just need to play the game to see how I can integrate it with the Marvel Universe.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed and gave criticism its helped me improve my English a lot so hopefully when I start on the second part you'll get a better quality of writing :D.


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